Cargo City at Dubai International has seen throughput grow at an average 15 per cent annually for almost a decade and has already crossed the 1.5 million tonnes per year mark in 2006. Cargo City – known until recently as Dubai Cargo Village, started freight operations over a decade and a half ago, a period in which it has risen from being just another cargo facility to one of the best cargo centres in the world.

When it was opened in 1991, Cargo City was ranked 61 internationally, but in the past 15 years, the centre has made it to the world’s top 10. Cargo throughput at the facility has always been almost to capacity since its opening, compelling a series of expansion projects over the years and the eventual long-term expansion master plan unveiled recently.

In less than four years of operation, in 1995, the centre had to carry out its first expansion project after cargo volume crossed 250,000 tonnes annual mark, four years earlier than the forecasts had projected. The first expansion saw the Cargo City’s capacity expand by 100,000 tonnes annual to reach 350,000 tonnes. By 1998, the facility was capable of handling 500,000 tonnes annually, and in 2005 the facility crossed the 1 million-ton capacity mark.

Considering growth forecasts which indicate that major cargo handling facilities will be required in order to satisfy the rising demands, work began on the AED1 billion first stage of the Cargo Mega Terminal in 2006, and is nearing completion. Once complete the facility will eventually be able to handle an estimated 2.8 million tonnes of freight annually by 2008.

The Cargo Mega Terminal 1, which will add another 1.2 million tonnes to the facility’s annual cargo handling capacity, is expected to be completed by end of 2007.

The phased expansion project for the facility is already underway and with cargo movement through Dubai on the increase, the facility is expected to make it to the world’s top five cargo centres within the next few years.

(By the time the 16 proposed cargo terminals at JXB are complete and operational, Dubai will be at the top of the world’s cargo and logistics industry both in terms of volume and capacity.)