DP World’s ultra - modern third cruise terminal in Dubai was inaugurated today by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the company said in its press release. The Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal is set to be the world ’s largest single , covered cruise facility capable of welcoming 14,000 cruise passengers a day.
DP World welcomed 4,000 passengers at the new terminal today from the Costa Cruise and Aida Cruise ships, part of Arabian Gulf tours. The operation to welcome the passengers involved close coordination with Dubai Police, the General Directorate Dubai Residency and Foreign Affairs, RTA and Dubai Customs. The Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal covers 28,000 square metres and is the latest addition to The Dubai Cruise Terminal facility at Mina Rashid.
Dubai’s vision is to attract 20 million tourists a year by 2020, with the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) anticipating cruise tourist numbers reaching the one - million ma rk by that time. The new building will increase the handling capacity of the three cruise terminals in Dubai from two million tourists a year to seven million. The terminal is the largest and most modern cruise facility in the Middle East and the wider region, enabling award winning Mina Rashid to now serve up to seven cruise vessels at one time and more than 25 ,000 passengers in its three cruise terminals.
Over 75 % of the building structure was reused from a steel structure sourced from demolished warehouses during the building of Jebel Ali’s new container terminal , which recently opened for business.