News / Dubai World Central to reopen to freighters after two-year mothball

Emirates SkyCargo will reactivate its cargo hub at Dubai World Central (DWC) for dedicated freighter aircraft operations from 26 March, marking a return to dual hub cargo operations in Dubai for the air cargo carrier after nearly two years.

In April 2020, Emirates consolidated its main deck and bellyhold cargo operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB), in light of the suspension of passenger flights during the early stages of Covid-19, effectively mothballing DWC after barely five years of operations.

“With the growth of Emirates’ passenger network and operations, as well as the progressive increase in cargo volumes, Emirates SkyCargo will once again structure its operations across two hubs in Dubai – with Emirates SkyCentral DXB handling cargo arriving or departing on passenger aircraft and Emirates SkyCentral DWC handling cargo on freighter aircraft,” said the airline.

DWC opened in 2015 and has a total cargo capacity of more than 1m tonnes a year. The state-of-the-art terminal features extensive cool chain handling facilities as well as a dedicated pharma handling zone certified to EU GDP standards.

A fleet of dedicated trucks, operating on a 24/7 basis, will connect the two airports for cargo transfers, and Emirates said for high priority cargo and urgently required commodities, there would be a connection time of “under five hours from wheels-down at DXB to wheels-up at DWC and vice-versa”.