- Undertaken by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) with a total investment exceeding $5 billion, Emirates’ ultra-modern engineering facility officially broke ground in Dubai South on May 18. The project has also appointed Artelia as the consultant.
- The world’s largest and most advanced aviation engineering facility officially commenced construction in Dubai South (at Dubai World Central – DWC Airport).
- The hangar complex can simultaneously accommodate 28 wide-body aircraft.
- The world’s largest landing gear maintenance workshop.
Dubai, UAEMay 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Emirates’ newly built engineering complex, with an investment of over $5 billion, has officially broken ground in Dubai South. Upon completion, it will become the world’s most advanced modern maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center, further strengthening the prominent position of Emirates and Dubai in global aviation capabilities and infrastructure.
CRCC undertakes groundbreaking of Emirates’ mega engineering facility in Dubai South
This new engineering facility of Emirates is constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), a leading construction and infrastructure development enterprise, with Artelia appointed as the project consultant.
Attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony included: His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group; Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates; Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South; and Mr. Dai Hegen, Chairman of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited.
CRCC undertakes groundbreaking of Emirates’ mega engineering facility in Dubai South
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, said: “The groundbreaking of our over $5 billion engineering facility marks another critical step forward in Dubai’s future-focused aviation strategy. The new facility will bring together more technology, infrastructure, component production, and specialized capabilities, strengthening Emirates Engineering’s vertical integration strategy, while also enabling Emirates to serve as a strategic engineering partner to meet the future needs of the regional and global aviation industry. This latest investment directly aligns with Dubai’s economic agenda ‘D33’, further cementing Dubai’s status as a global economic hub and center of aviation excellence, and laying the foundation for the next phase of development for Dubai, the UAE, and the broader MRO industry.”
Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, said: “At Dubai South, our mission aligns with the wise vision of our national leadership to further solidify Dubai’s position as the world’s aviation capital by developing an integrated ecosystem that supports the future needs of the global aviation industry. The groundbreaking of this world-class facility marks another milestone in advancing aviation infrastructure around Al Maktoum International Airport—which, upon full completion, will become the world’s largest airport. This project will further help Dubai meet the growing demand for advanced aviation services and maintenance solutions, playing a pivotal role while reinforcing the emirate’s benchmark status in global aviation excellence, innovation, and long-term industry growth.”
Mr. Dai Hegen, Chairman of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, said: “This project is a significant milestone in the friendly neighborly relations and pragmatic cooperation between China and the UAE, deeply aligning with the consensus of the two heads of state and Dubai’s economic development plans, and highlighting Emirates’ high recognition of CRCC’s comprehensive strength and brand reputation. As the contractor, we will uphold our core values, integrate high-quality resources, and assemble a professional team to build, advance efficiently, and deliver with high quality, striving to create a model project for China-UAE cooperation, and contributing CRCC’s strength to deepening China-UAE economic and trade cooperation and building a China-UAE community with a shared future.”
Infographic – CRCC undertakes groundbreaking of Emirates’ mega engineering facility in Dubai South
World-Class Infrastructure
The scale of Emirates’ new engineering facility in Dubai South is awe-inspiring, covering an area of 1.1 million square meters, making it one of the largest buildings in the world by volume and the largest steel structure in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The facility also features the world’s only hangar complex capable of simultaneously servicing 28 wide-body aircraft, along with two paint hangars. Other highlights of this mega facility include:
– The world’s largest column-free hangar, with a span of 285 meters
– The world’s largest dedicated landing gear maintenance workshop
– 77,000 square meters of dedicated repair and maintenance workshops
– 380,000 square meters of storage and logistics space
– Two advanced paint hangars capable of servicing Emirates’ wide-body fleet, with additional capacity for narrow-body aircraft.
These technical facilities will be supported by a series of new dedicated buildings, including: an administrative building exclusively for Emirates Engineering, housing 50,000 square meters of office space and 15,000 square meters of training facilities; and a security portal facility controlling airside access.
Emirates’ new engineering complex in Dubai South is also expected to set new benchmarks in sustainability, with all project facilities targeting LEED Platinum certification for green buildings and initiatives such as installing solar panels on the complex’s roof.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-2030, with the hangar complex initially beginning to receive aircraft requiring heavy maintenance and overflow projects transferred from Emirates Engineering Centre at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
About Emirates Airline
With Dubai as its global hub, Emirates provides high-quality air passenger services to passengers across six continents, facilitating travel and trade. Emirates’ team of employees from over 140 countries and regions worldwide passionately delivers exceptional in-flight and ground services, earning widespread acclaim from passengers. Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 wide-body aircraft, offering spacious cabins and iconic onboard amenities such as the A380 Onboard Spa Shower and the A380 Onboard Lounge, as well as the ice in-flight entertainment system available at every seat across the entire fleet. This system has won the ‘World’s Best Inflight Entertainment’ award for 17 consecutive years. Emirates is committed to environmental responsibility in its business operations, focusing on three key areas: reducing emissions, responsible consumption, and wildlife and habitat conservation.
In mainland China, Emirates was the first Middle Eastern airline to operate direct flights between the Middle East and mainland China. In 2002, Emirates launched cargo services to Shanghai, followed by passenger services from Dubai to Shanghai in 2004, and direct passenger services from Dubai to Beijing and Guangzhou in 2006 and 2008, respectively. For more information, please visit: www.emirates.com.