uST technology is among the shortlist of the Global Rail 2025 Innovation Awards

uST technology of transport and infrastructure solutions was highly commended in the context of the esteemed international Global Rail 2025 Innovation Awards. This year, 242 participants competed to be the author of the most promising project in the field of transport accessibility and urban mobility. Only 10 of them were shortlisted for the final round, which will be held from September 30 to October 2 in Abu Dhabi. The monetary prize for the award is 1 million dirhams, which is approximately $270,000.

What is GRIA?

The Global Rail 2025 Innovation Awards are a significant industry recognition established by Etihad Rail in collaboration with its partners. The objective is to foster the creation and worldwide adoption of innovative concepts and technologies in the field of rail transportation, sustainable logistics, and infrastructure for a smart city.

In 2024, 75 applicants, including prominent industry representatives, submitted their entries for the award. Among them, only three applicants were awarded with a prize of 500,000 dirhams each. And all of the initiatives proposed by the winners to monitor the condition of rail track structures were actually relevant to existing facilities. This year, a significantly larger number of projects, including uST technology, will be competing for the title of industry leader at the Global Rail Innovation Awards.

Technology of global significance

uST complexes combine aboveground logistics and advanced engineering solutions. A string rail overpass is a lightweight track structure that is stretched between anchoring and intermediate supports. Passenger and cargo unmanned vehicles – uPods – are moving along it.

This concept allows for a significant reduction in the cost of construction, increases safety, and ensures high capacity of the transportation system. Additionally, the erection of uST complexes does not involve large-scale excavation, as all routes are built above ground. Therefore, it is possible to overcome relief obstacles, pass over water bodies and dense buildings, without disrupting the ecosystem or infrastructure of the city.

International perspective

The inclusion of uST technology in the shortlist for the Global Rail 2025 Innovation Awards confirms that experts consider string rail transport as a viable alternative to traditional forms of mobility. 

Presentation of uST solutions at such events provides Unitsky String Technologies Inc. with new opportunities for international cooperation.  In the coming years, the company plans to expand its project portfolio to include new geographies, such as the Middle East, South Asia, and North America.