Bound for Dubai: Three TBMs sail overseas with product ecosystem to boost new infrastructure
On the afternoon of April 30, 2026, the day before International Workers' Day, three earth pressure balance shield machines developed by by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG), a core subsidiary of CRHIC，were launched in batches for the Dubai Metro Project. This marks the official acceleration of underground construction for the project. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, attended the launching ceremony.
The Dubai Metro Project is a major expansion of Dubai's rail transit network, with a total route length of 30 kilometres, including approximately 14 km of tunnels. CREG has exported three earth pressure balance shield machines with an excavation diameter of 9.61 metres. The machines will undertake tunnelling work for three key sections of the project respectively. They are fully adaptable to Dubai's complex geological conditions and capable of meeting the construction requirements for large cross-sections and long-distance tunnelling.
Unlike the traditional export of standalone equipment, for the Dubai Metro Project, CREG has supplied not only the main shield machines but also a full range of supporting products including tunnel belt conveyors, MSVs, segment moulds and ground refrigeration systems. This forms an integrated service solution built around the "shield product ecosystem", covering all demands throughout the construction process. It fully demonstrates CREG's comprehensive capabilities in delivering full-life cycle services and turnkey solutions for tunnel boring projects.
This overseas delivery by CREG, featuring shield machines as the core supported by a full lineup of ancillary products, marks another exemplary practice of the full industrial chain of Chinese shield equipment going global. It further demonstrates the comprehensive strength of China's equipment manufacturers in delivering full-life cycle services and integrated solutions for global tunnel projects, and also provides strong support for Dubai to build a intelligent and efficient urban rail transit network.
As a core infrastructure project under Dubai's Urban Master Plan 2040, the new metro line enables efficient connectivity with Dubai International Airport. It facilitates daily commutes for millions of residents and strongly underpins the implementation of Dubai's 20-Minute City development concept. Upon completion and operation, the project will comprehensively drive economic upgrading along the route, greatly alleviate urban traffic congestion, and carry pivotal significance for Dubai to implement its urban spatial layout and advance its economic growth strategy.