DHL delivers 47 Bombardier train sets for Riyadh's new metro line

Mar 21, 2017: Logistics giant DHL to deliver 47 train sets for Bombardier Transportation, to be used on Riyadh's Metro Line 3, one of six lines being established by Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), the executive arm of The High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh.

The first of the trains arrived in Riyadh in late 2016, marking the successful start of a multi-year forwarding agreement between manufacturer Bombardier Transportation and DHL Global Forwarding.

Nikola Hagleitner, CEO of Industrial Projects, DHL Global Forwarding, said, "Riyadh's citizens will soon rely on these trains to transport them safely and quickly around the city, so it is essential that we take the utmost care with the sensitive electronics and components that make up each unit. We have taken pains to minimize risks to both the ADA's schedule and Bombardier Transportation's capital investment.”

Bombardier Transportation selected DHL Global Forwarding based on its global scale and track record in safe, reliable, and cost effective delivery of large "break-bulk" cargo items that, due to their size or shape, must be loaded and unloaded without using standard shipping containers. Bombardier Transportation offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, the company's products and services operate in more than 60 countries, with an installed base of over 100,000 vehicles worldwide.

Spokesperson from Bombardier Transportation, Project Management of Riyadh, said, "Bombardier has partnered with DHL for many years to deliver highly sensitive aerospace shipments all over the world, allowing us to see their professionalism and expertise with complex logistics projects first hand. With the first of our Riyadh Metro trains arriving on time and without any quality issues in Riyadh late last year, we have no doubts that DHL will continue to replicate these results for the rest of the partnership, allowing us to deliver state-of-the-art rail technology and infrastructure to the people of Riyadh."

Under the agreement, DHL Global Forwarding ships each train set via its ocean freight network from Bombardier Transportation's production facilities in Sahagun, Mexico, direct to the port of Dammam in Saudi Arabia. DHL Global Forwarding also handles last-mile delivery of the trains to the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), working with Bombardier Transportation engineers to guarantee swift and efficient movement of each train set to its deployment location.