Dubai Aerospace Engineering Projects Agency (DAEP) has named China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) as the main contractor for a major infrastructure package in the Phase I expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, a project set to transform the facility into the world’s largest aviation hub.

The award marks the second time a Chinese infrastructure firm has taken part in the construction of a globally prominent transport megaproject, underscoring China’s rising competitiveness in high-end international engineering markets.

Under the expansion plan, five new parallel runways will be built along with five terminal buildings and 400 boarding gates. 

When complete, the airport is expected to handle 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo annually across a 70-sq-km site — roughly five times the size of Dubai International Airport.

According to CHEC, work is moving at a steady pace across three major segments aimed at creating an integrated, intelligent transport system. 

CHEC is building foundational structures for the West Terminal and three connected waiting halls. The West Terminal alone will span 800,000 sq m over seven floors and is designed to process up to 45 million passengers a year, it stated.

A 14-station Automated People Mover system will link terminals and concourses across the airfield. The first phase includes four underground APM stations, using advanced tunnelling and rail technology to streamline passenger flows. The entire development will unfold in three phases, with initial operations targeted for 2032.

China Harbour Engineering Company said the Phase I works are already under way. 

In May, DAEP had signed up Binladin Contracting Group to build a second runway, awarding a $272 million contract.

For the project, Abu Dhabi’s Tristar EC is carrying out preliminary terminal construction.

As per a government plan approved in April 2024, Dubai aims to shift all aviation operations from Dubai International Airport to Al Maktoum International within the next decade — a move expected to support housing demand for about one million residents in surrounding areas and spur investment in associated infrastructure.

Al Maktoum’s expansion has undergone a decade of revisions. Initially launched in 2014 with a target capacity of 255 million annual passengers by 2050, the project saw multiple schedule adjustments due to oil-price volatility, preparations for Expo 2020 and pandemic-related delays.

The Dubai government endorsed the finalised design and timeline in April 2024, clearing the way for full-scale development to proceed, it added.-TradeArabia News Service