Air Transport

Construction of the first runway of Dubai World Central International Airport (JXB) - scheduled to be the world's largest airport - is to completed by October.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Aviation Corporation - Dubai World Central (DWC), government of Dubai said: 'This first four and a half kilometre CAT III runway- of a final six - will enable JXB to commence operations in mid-2008 as the world's largest passenger and freighter airport and cargo hub."

"With US$ 82 billion earmarked for this growth in Dubai, the emirate is leading the way across the Middle East, African and South Asian markets, part of a global aviation market which will be worth US$ 2.6 trillion by 2025," added Sheikh Ahmed.

JXB is part of the 140 square kilometre Dubai World Central (DWC) urban aviation community being built in Jebel Ali, 40km from Dubai city centre.

Al Nabooda Contracting Company, which is building the runway - labelled Runway 12/30 - is also working on three parallel taxiways and associated rapid exits - 40% complete so far, the airside road network and infrastructure services such as airfield lighting, power, water, fire fighting and drainage network.

JXB forms an integrated multi-modal logistics platform with Dubai Logistics City and Jebel Ali port and free zone.The US$8.1 billion JXB airport will have a capacity to handle between 120-150 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo annually upon completion.