Grading work complete on DLC's first phase

Grading has taken a year to complete and seen some 20 million cubic metres of earth moved.

"Work has proceeded right on schedule. Our first construction package for a dedicated runway enabling DLC to operate as a freighter airport capable of handling the new generation Airbus A380-800F airline has been awarded and construction has commenced," said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and Chairman of the Emirates Group.

DLC is the first phase of the giant 140 square kilometre Jebel Ali Airport City, a unique aviation community designed to operate as an independent free zone and to accommodate more than 750,000 residents and workers. Together with Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone and the new Jebel Ali International Airport (JXB), which itself is the size of London's Heathrow and Chicago's O'Hare airports combined, DLC makes up the world's first truly multi-modal facility for air, sea and road services.

Construction and testing of the 4.5 kilometre long runway is expected to take almost two years. As part of the work, construction will also begin on two 1.8 kilometre long tunnels which will run under three of the projects six runways and form an access link from the planned passenger concourse to the cargo terminal.

"Work will also begin by the end of the first quarter on DLC's common facilities and infrastructure, including shared forwarder warehouses, air cargo terminals, office park, roads and utilities. Completion of the grading work also means tenants who want to build their own facilities will get access to their sites in the second quarter of this year," added Sheikh Ahmed.

DLC offers logistics industry users and players a host of operational alternatives, from building their own facilities or renting shared DLC premises.

"For each type of logistics business DLC provides a focused and liberal environment so that companies can pick the optimal location with facilities and processes that best support their requirements. This is a tailor-made infrastructure,"

explained Michael Proffitt, CEO, DLC.

Spread over 25 square kilometres, DLC will begin operating at the end of 2007. It is aimed at catering to the logistics requirements of the greater region up to 2050 and is designed to eventually handle more than 12 million tons of air cargo annually in up to 16 air cargo terminals.

DLC will be the preferred location for businesses which require, or offer, logistics and multi-modal transport services to the GCC, wider Middle East, India, Africa and the southern CIS - a market of more than two billion consumers.

"There are numerous indicators for the success of DLC," said Proffitt. "A recent industry report has valued the GCC logistics market alone at over US $11 billion while Dubai's proximity to India, which can realistically expect to secure a significant share of the US $110 billion global outsourcing market by 2010, stands it in good stead.

"Within the next 30 to 40 years, another billion consumers will be added to the greater Dubai footprint due population increases. This will ensure that economic growth in this greater region will be steady and long lasting."

DLC says the fourth quarter of this year will see construction work begin on specialised warehouses at the site while its own shared facilities, such as warehouses and office blocks, will be available in the fourth quarter of next year.

"We anticipate full utilities being available in September 2007," added Proffitt.