Israel And UAE Ink New Deal To Connect Ports Via Land Bridge  

An innovative new project will connect the ports of Dubai in the UAE and Haifa in Israel by truck and train, enhancing and protecting trade routes in the Middle East.

The land bridge agreement was spearheaded by leading Israeli logistics firm Trucknet, in collaboration with UAE-based counterpart Puretrans FZCO, as well as DP WORLD, a Dubai-headquartered port enterprise. 

The route will prevent Yemen’s Iran-backed Islamist Houthi movement from hijacking and targeting commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea.

Since Israel declared war on Hamas on October 7, the Houthis have attacked multiple cargo ships traveling in some of the world’s most important shipping lanes, claiming that they are Israeli owned. 

The new route will connect the UAE to Haifa through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and will travel in both directions. It is estimated to reduce transit time by 80 percent compared to maritime routes, and follows the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the UAE, Morocco and Bahrain.

Israel and Saudi Arabia had also been expected to draw closer before the Iran-backed Hamas group in Gaza massacred hundreds of people in southern Israel on October 7, triggering the war. 

Trucknet will offer its services to users operating on the land bridge route, including automated cargo transportation, real time tracking of trucks and shipping statuses, and precise calculations of emissions for each shipment. 

The new project has been endorsed by the Israeli Ministry of Defense as well as the government in Jerusalem.

“This development significantly contributes to the promotion of trade and the acceleration of economic expansion in the Middle East, while also establishing Israel as a pivotal international trade hub,” said Hanan Friedman, CEO of Trucknet.

“The prevailing security challenges impacting international trade in the Red Sea necessitate a secure and efficient continental alternative characterized by high standards and competitive pricing,” he said.

“This route not only offers an 80% reduction in transit time compared to maritime routes but also provides a cost-effective solution with appealing transport durations, facilitated by a foremost logistics entity in the Emirates in collaboration with DP WORLD.”