Jordan Daily - Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday witnessed the signing of agreements to launch the Aqaba Port Railway project, a $2.3 billion joint investment aimed at boosting the kingdom’s transport and mining sectors.
The project will be implemented through a newly established Jordanian-Emirati company, jointly owned on a 50-50 basis. Jordan’s side includes state-linked entities such as the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, Arab Potash Company, the Government Investments Management Company, and the Social Security Investment Fund, while the UAE is represented by L’Imad Holding, an Abu Dhabi sovereign investment platform.
The 360-km railway will connect phosphate and potash mines in Sheidiya and Ghor Al Safi to the Port of Aqaba, with an annual capacity of around 16 million tonnes of minerals. The network will significantly reduce transport costs, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance export competitiveness.
The project, the largest infrastructure initiative in Jordan’s history, includes tracks, tunnels and bridges built to international standards. It is also expected to form the backbone of a future national railway network linking Aqaba with neighboring countries and Mediterranean ports.
The railway would strengthen Aqaba’s position as a regional logistics hub and drive development in southern regions. Plans are also under study to extend links to the Ma’an Development Area and establish a new land port.
Financial close is targeted for early 2027, with construction expected to take five years. The project is also set to generate jobs across transport, mining and logistics sectors.
The agreements build on a broader $5.5 billion Jordan-UAE investment framework signed in 2023 in the presence of King Abdullah II and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
