Dubai Logistics City receives commitments for over 2 million square metres of land

The commitments to build dedicated warehouses in DLC have come from over 50 companies representing a wide mix of freight forwarders and logistics providers and from a regional and international geographic spread.

Airlink International UAE - one of biggest freight and logistics suppliers in the region - is among the client portfolio, which also includes industry heavyweight Kuehne + Nagel.

"All these companies have bought into the DLC value proposition of being centred in the world's first truly integrated logistics and multi-modal platform which is being created by DLC, Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone and the new international airport (JXB) at its core. All these clients understand the sheer business viability of locating to a hub which can serve a geographic footprint of over two billion consumers all within two to three hours flying time of Jebel Ali," explained Michael Proffitt, CEO, DLC. "We believe that the land commitments made to date already make DLC the world's largest single-site logistics offering."

With grading of phase one of DLC complete, companies building their own facilities will get access to their sites within the next three months.

DLC, the first phase of the 140 square kilometre World Central complex, is being created as a result of sheer demand for logistics facilities.


"Logistics is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world with growth emanating from globalisation of manufacturing and the ever shortening product lifecycles which are now impacting a whole host of industries," explained Proffitt. "Current projections are that air cargo throughput via Dubai will reach four million tonnes within the next decade - which is triple the current throughput.

"DLC will have a capacity of 12 million tonnes annually and that has to be viewed in context of Memphis International Airport, which was the world's busiest cargo airport in 2004 with a throughput of 3.6 million tons."

Construction of DLC's first all-weather 4.5 kilometre runway, being built to CAT 3 classification, which allows for instrument landing, is already underway and is due for completion, following testing, in September next year.

DLC, which will be spread over 25 square kilometres, is expected to be operational at the end of next year - the first phase of the giant World Central International Airport (JXB) which will be 10 times the size of the existing Dubai International Airport.

The wider World Central will be the combined size of London's Heathrow and Chicago's O'Hare airports. It will operate as an independent free zone and will eventually accommodate up to 750,000 people.