Dubai World Central (DWC) saw cargo volumes skyrocket 42 per cent in the first half of the year to 443,012 tonnes, propelling Al Maktoum International airport up one position to 19th place in the rankings for the world's busiest cargo hubs, according to Dubai Airports.
The airport's stellar performance was attributed to Emirates airline's decision last May to relocate all dedicated freighters from Dubai International to the new airport, reported The National from Dubai.However, the temporary relocation of 300 flights per week from Dubai International while a runway refurbishment programme was carried out resulted in a 17 per cent reduction in the number of aircraft movements during the period, totalling 20,866 in the first half of 2015, down from 25,184 a year earlier.
"The story is only just beginning for DWC but the early results continue to impress," said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths.
"The airport is quickly emerging as an important cargo hub and with the addition of 70 weekly 'Flydubai' flights to seven new destinations in October, we expect the airport to soon establish itself as an important gateway to the Middle East," he said.According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), demand for air freight among Middle East carriers surged by 18 per cent in May compared to a year earlier, while in Europe it fell 1.3 per cent and in North America it was down 2.9 per cent.
IATA attributed the increase to network and capacity expansion, which were encouraging air cargo to go through hubs in the Middle East, according to Shipping Gazette.
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