Construction has begun on Emirates’ new $5.1 billion engineering complex, which will be built in Dubai South (DWC Airport). Set to become one of the world’s most modern and advanced maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities, the project features a massive hangar complex capable of servicing 28 wide-body aircraft simultaneously and one of the world’s largest landing gear workshops. The facility is intended to further solidify Emirates’ and Dubai’s leadership in global aviation capacity and infrastructure.

Emirates, one of the world’s largest international airlines, has laid the foundation for a new $5.1 billion engineering complex to be built in Dubai South. Emirates’ new engineering facility is being constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation, a leading construction and infrastructure development company, while Artelia is serving as the project consultant.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Airline and Group; Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline; Khalifa Al Zaffin, Chairman of the Executive Board of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South; and Dai Hegen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum stated, “The groundbreaking of this new $5.1 billion engineering facility represents a strategic step toward Dubai’s future-focused aviation vision. The new facility will consolidate Emirates Engineering’s expertise, infrastructure, and technical capabilities under one roof, thereby strengthening the company’s vertical integration strategy. It will also serve as a key engineering hub to address the future needs of the regional and global aviation sectors.”

In his assessment of the project, Khalifa Al Zaffin noted that Dubai South is acting in line with its vision to create an integrated ecosystem that supports the future needs of the global aviation sector, highlighting that the facility will form part of the aviation infrastructure surrounding Al Maktoum International Airport.

Dai Hegen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, also emphasized that the project is one of the key examples of cooperation between China and the UAE, stating that they aim to carry out the construction process efficiently and to the highest standards.

World-class infrastructure

The new Emirates engineering facility in Dubai South will span a total area of 1.1 million square meters. Set to be one of the world’s largest structures by volume, the facility will also be the largest steel-framed structure in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

The facility will include the world’s only hangar complex capable of servicing 28 wide-body aircraft simultaneously, as well as two paint hangars.

In addition to technical facilities, the project will include 50,000 square meters of office space for Emirates Engineering, 15,000 square meters of training space, and a dedicated access facility to control airside access. The complex is also aimed at setting new standards in sustainability, with all facilities planned to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Furthermore, various eco-friendly initiatives, such as rooftop solar panels, will be implemented across the complex. While construction of the facility is expected to be completed by mid-2030, the hangar complex is initially planned to serve aircraft requiring heavy maintenance and projects referred from the Emirates Engineering Centre at Dubai International Airport (DXB).