Dubai World Central’s (DWC) US$32bn airport
20 / 03 / 2015
CARGO business is projected to soar at Al Maktoum International Airport- Dubai World Central (DWC) in the 2020s, after the completion of an AED120bn (US$ 32bn) expansion project, writes Thelma Etim, deputy editor.
The ambitious 56-sq-km development, fully endorsed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and Prime Minister of the UAE, will comprise two satellite buildings that can accommodate 100 A380s aircraft at any one time.
The scheme will take between six and eight years to complete and will pave the way for Emirates Airline to relocate its entire intercontinental hub operation to DWC by the mid-2020s, says a company statement.
The project follows months of planning by the key stakeholders, including Dubai Airports, Dubai Airports Engineering Projects, as well as Emirates Airline and dnata, to ensure that the design facilities assist the future growth of Dubai’s aviation industry, it adds.
Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, has described the new airport as a vital investment in the future of Dubai. It is projected to remain a “cornerstone of Dubai’s economy and is expected to support more than 322,000 jobs”, as well as contribute 28 per cent of Dubai’s GDP by 2020.
“Our future lies at DWC – with limited options for further growth at Dubai International, we are taking that next step to securing our future by building a brand new airport that will not only create the capacity we will need in the coming decades but also provide state-of-the-art facilities that revolutionise the airport experience on an unprecedented scale,” he adds.
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