in stage one of the uae's national railway network, etihad rail db operates and maintains 264 km of railway route across the western region of the abu dhabi emirate and transports granulated sulphur from the sour gas fields of shah (al hosn gas) and habshan (gasco) to the port of ruwais in the western region of abu dhabi, where the sulphur product is exported. the spine of the network is the double track line between liwa and ruwais in the western region of abu dhabi. this section is designed to also operate passenger trains in the future.