Dubai World Central Handled Almost 90,000 Tons Of Cargo In 2011

Monday, Jan 30, 2012

DOHA (Zawya Dow Jones)--Dubai World Central, the emirate's massive new airport near Jebel Ali that opened for cargo operations in June 2010, handled nearly 90,000 tons of freight last year, new figures showed Monday.

Average monthly cargo volumes in 2011 at Dubai World Central, sometimes referred to as Al Maktoum International, were 7,477 tons compared to 795 tons per month in the second half of 2010, according to an emailed statement from Dubai Airports.

"Although the airport is in its infancy, incremental cargo traffic growth has been steady and continues to ramp up as new operations are launched," Dubai Airports Chief Executive Paul Griffiths said in the statement.

"Sea to air freight traffic growth was particularly robust as airlines took advantage of the airport's bonded link to the Jebel Ali port," he added.

Passenger operations could start as early as 2013 at Dubai World Central, a key project at the heart of Dubai's ambitions to become a truly global aviation hub, according to the statement.

Dubai's two airports, including the existing Dubai International, handled about 2.28 million tons of air freight in 2011, which is up marginally from the previous year, the statement said.

Dubai Airports manages both of the city's airports.

-By Alex Delmar-Morgan, Dow Jones Newswires; +974 6659 9818; alex.delmar-morgan@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

30-01-12 0958GMT