Emirates has laid the foundation stone for a new $5.1 billion MRO complex in Dubai South, destined to become one of the world’s largest aviation maintenance facilities. The project, located on the site of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), is scheduled for completion by mid-2030. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 18 in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman & Chief Executive of the Emirates Group, Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline and Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South.
The future complex will cover some 1.1 million m², making it one of the largest buildings in the world (by volume) and the largest steel structure in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. It will incorporate a hangar complex capable of simultaneously accommodating 28 wide-body aircraft, as well as two hangars dedicated to painting, sized for wide-body aircraft but with capacity extended to single-aisle aircraft.
Technical features include a 285 m clear-span hangar, said to be the largest of its type, the largest workshop dedicated to landing gear, 77,000 m² of maintenance and repair workshops, and 380,000 m² of storage and logistics space. The complex will be completed by a 50,000 m² administration building, including 15,000 m² of training space for Emirates Engineering staff, and an airside access control facility.
Emirates specifies that the contract for the construction has been awarded to China Railway Construction Corporation, while the French group Artelia has been appointed prime contractor and consultant for the project. The new site will initially handle heavy maintenance visits and overflow work from Emirates’ existing MRO center at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
As a reminder, low-cost carrier flydubai also embarked on the construction of its first MRO center in Dubai South last year, a facility scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter.
A host of aeronautical activities will be grouped together at the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) in Dubai South, complementing the activities of Emirates Engineering.
