Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has secured a contract to deliver the automated passenger mover system for the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport’s development in Dubai, the Japanese industrial company announced.
The system will span approximately 50 kilometres and connect nine stations across the airport complex, making it the largest airport APM network in the world, according to Mitsubishi. Completion is scheduled for December 2031.
The network will include 165 automated vehicles alongside a dedicated signalling system. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and its Dubai subsidiary MHI-MESC will handle the design, supply, and testing of those components, as well as overall system integration. Indian engineering group Larsen and Toubro is also part of the consortium, responsible for designing, supplying, testing, and constructing the remaining on-site subsystems.
The APM will connect terminal buildings and key airport facilities, aiming to cut transit times and support passenger flow as the airport scales up operations.
Al Maktoum International is central to Dubai’s long-term aviation ambitions. The emirate is targeting a 2032 opening, with an initial annual capacity of 260 million passengers and the option for phased expansion beyond that.
