Al Maktoum International to host world’s largest airport people mover

Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) has awarded a contract to build a 50-kilometre automated people mover (APM) at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The project, which will be the world’s largest airport APM system, is being executed by a consortium including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), MHI Mobility Engineering Services (MHI-MESC), and the Indian engineering group Larsen & Toubro (L&T).

The driverless system will feature 165 vehicles and connect nine stations across the airport campus to facilitate passenger movement between terminals and major facilities. MHI and MHI-MESC will lead the design, procurement, testing, and system integration, while L&T will manage the design, procurement, testing, and on-site construction of other subsystems.

Scheduled for completion in December 2031, the system is intended to support the airport’s massive expansion, which aims to eventually handle 260 million passengers annually. The 50km network will be more than six times the length of the current longest airport APM system located at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.