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Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International

Dubai Airports launched cargo operations at Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) on June 27 as part of the first phase of the project.

Upon completion in the mid 2020s, Al Maktoum International will become the world’s largest airport with an ultimate capacity of 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo per annum. The airport forms the heart of Dubai World Central, a 140 sq km multiphase development of six clustered zones that includes the Dubai Logistics City (DLC), Commercial City, Residential City, Aviation City and the Golf City.

The development is the region’s first integrated, multi-modal transportation platform connecting air, sea, and land.

The new facility is currently serves 19 cargo operators while passenger operations are expected to commence in March 2011.

 

Fast Facts

  • Phase 1 of DWC includes a single A380 compatible runway; a passenger terminal with capacity of 5 million passengers per annum (expandable to 7 mppa); a cargo terminal building with a capacity of 250,000 tonnes per annum (expandable to 600,000) and a 92-metre air traffic control tower.
  • Once completed, DWC will have up to 4 passenger terminals, and will accommodate up to 160 mppa (compared to the world’s busiest passenger airport in 2008 Atlanta at 90 mppa, followed by Chicago O’Hare at 69 mppa and London Heathrow at 67 mppa).
  • DWC will have a final cargo capacity of 12 million tonnes per annum (compared to Dubai’s 2009 traffic figures of 1.9 million tonnes per annum (2009), and world’s current largest cargo airport Memphis International at 3.7 mtpa).
  • The airport will have a total of five parallel runways, 4.5km long, each separated by a minimum of 800m.
  • The central terminal area (of the main terminal) will incorporate basements which will house a fully automated baggage handling system capable of handling around 240 million bags per annum
  • The airport will have an Automated People Mover connecting passengers to different terminals, and moving staff to all key points in the development as well as an internal road network for all key airport operations
  • Located in the vicinity of the Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone, DWC will make air-sea connectivity achievable in four hours
  • DWC is designed to support aviation, tourism, and logistics well into the future.
  • Costs for the entire DWC development (including all clusters) has been estimated in excess of US$ 32 billion (approx. AED 120 billion).