Freight continues to impress at Dubai’s new airport

Cargo volume at Al Maktoum International – Dubai World Central (DWC) – continued to rise sharply in the first half of 2015, pushing the new airport from 20^th to 19^th place in the ranks of the top world cargo airports.
Freight jumped 42% in the first half of 2015 to 443,000 tonnes, up from 311,300 tonnes in the same period last year, influenced by Dubai Airports’ relocation of all freighters from Dubai International to DWC in May last year.
But passenger traffic for the period was down 64% to 209,989 in the first half of 2015, due to the surge in volumes created by the temporary relocation of 300 flights per week while the runway refurbishment programme was conducted at Dubai International. 
Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths said: “The story is only just beginning for DWC but the early results continue to impress. The airport is quickly emerging as an important cargo hub and…we expect the airport to soon establish itself as an important gateway to the Middle East.”