The nearly US$16 billion Haramain High Speed Rail project in Saudi Ara- bia will transport up to 100 million passengers each year between the holy cities of Medina and Mecca in addition to 3 million pilgrims when it’s complete. At
speeds of 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour, the
449-kilometer (279-mile) journey will take just 2. 5
hours for trains calling at all stations—and less for
nonstop trains—compared to the 4. 5 hours it takes
by car.
But the project has sand in its gears. Commenced
in 2009 and originally scheduled to begin service
in 2012, it is currently set to close by the end of
2018—six years late.
Although there are many factors in the mix,
Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Cheikh, PMP, senior
project manager, infrastructure, at Etihad Rail in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, says the delays
boil down to a single issue: The Haramain project
is the first high-speed rail project in the Middle
East, and the first rail project of any type in western
Saudi Arabia.
That means the management team must overcome a sizable learning curve. From engineering for
the country’s desert terrain to navigating its unique
political landscape, Saudi Arabian sponsors and
the consortium of 12 Spanish companies executing
phase two of the project, consisting of all railway
activities, are working in uncharted territory.
“The Spanish contractors have successfully deliv-
ered high-speed lines inside their own country, but
this is their first experience building a high-speed
line abroad. Integration between them is not always
very good, which has been a real challenge,” Mr.
Cheikh says of the Spanish companies, which were
competitors in Spain before joining forces in Saudi
Arabia. “This is also the first experience for the
Encouraging clear and consistent com-
munication between junior and senior team
members helps keep the project moving for-
ward—and that holds true across the extended
project delivery team. This group should repre-
sent every individual, agency and organization that
touches the project, including federal, state and
local government officials, environmental protec-
tion groups, landowners, and utilities, Mr. Jarvis says.
If conflict exists within the project delivery
team, a professional facilitator can help stakeholders identify common objectives and solve problems. For instance, Mr. Jarvis’ team uses a facilitator
to forge partnerships with the traditional railroads
operating in its project’s footprint.
“There is a lot of common interest with the railroads, as we’re working near or within their right
of way in many areas. So, it was important that we
were able to successfully resolve issues with them,
and we’ve used facilitated partnering to help us do
that,” he says.
With the help of the facilitator, the team has been
able to table tangential issues and keep problems from
getting out of control. By focusing on finding a way
forward, the group has fostered collaboration and
made progress toward its shared goal—the equitable
introduction of California’s first high-speed train.
“I think success comes down to realizing that
your project delivery team consists of a lot more
than just the traditional team members who may
be designing and constructing the project for you,”
he says. “It’s really developing those relationships
and making those stakeholders part of your project
delivery team so they’re part of the decision-making
early on.”
EYE OF THE
Saudi Arabia’s first high-speed rail
project requires collaboration across
cultures—and commercial rivals.
To keep
complicated
rail projects
on track,
organizations
need to build
—Rubén Magán Ocaña, PMP
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