🇦🇪 L&T and Mitsubishi Secure Al Maktoum Airport Automated People Mover Contract

Larsen & Toubro (L&T), in consortium with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), has secured a major contract to design and build the Automated People Mover (APM) system for Phase 1 of Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai.

The contract represents another significant step in the development of Al Maktoum International Airport and will deliver an integrated automated transit system to support passenger movement across the future aviation hub.

The contract has been secured by L&T’s Transportation Infrastructure business and forms part of the long-term, multi-phase expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport.

The project is being developed by Dubai Aviation City Corporation and implemented through Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP).

Integrated APM System

Under the contract, the consortium will undertake the delivery of the APM as a fully integrated system, covering design, construction, supply, testing, commissioning and operational readiness.

L&T’s scope includes the design, procurement, delivery and integration of key infrastructure and railway systems, including:

• APM guideways
• DC traction substations
• Power distribution
• Signalling systems
• Telecommunications
• Onboard vehicle communication systems
• Platform Screen Doors (PSD)
• Depot equipment

The package highlights the multidisciplinary nature of modern automated transit systems, requiring close integration between civil infrastructure, vehicles, signalling, telecommunications, traction power, stations and depot facilities.

MHI and L&T Combine APM and Rail Systems Expertise

The consortium combines MHI’s APM systems technology with L&T’s experience in delivering integrated railway and metro systems.

L&T highlighted the complexity of the project, including challenging execution milestones, advanced technologies and multiple interfaces between the guideway, power supply, telecommunications, platform screen doors and depot equipment.

L&T is currently involved in integrated rail systems projects across the Mumbai Metro, Dhaka Metro and Jakarta MRT networks.

The Al Maktoum International Airport project further expands the company’s rail and transit presence in the Gulf and wider West Asian market.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Brings APM Experience

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries brings extensive experience in Automated People Mover and Automated Guideway Transit systems internationally.

MHI has previously delivered airport APM systems at locations including Dubai International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Miami International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, among others.

The combination of MHI’s APM technology and L&T’s engineering and integrated rail systems capabilities will support the delivery of the new system in Dubai.

Supporting Al Maktoum International Airport Expansion

The APM forms a key part of the wider development of Al Maktoum International Airport.

Dubai is developing the airport as a major future global aviation hub, with ultimate plans for capacity exceeding 260 million passengers annually and 12 million tonnes of air cargo.

The overall airport masterplan includes five parallel runways, passenger terminals, satellite concourses, hundreds of aircraft stands and an integrated landside transport hub.

Automated passenger transport will therefore be an important element in connecting the airport’s terminals and concourses while supporting efficient passenger movement across the very large airport development.

A Major Systems-Integration Challenge

From a railway engineering perspective, an airport APM is much more than the trains themselves.

The project requires integration across multiple technical interfaces, including:

Guideway ↔ Vehicles ↔ Traction Power ↔ Signalling ↔ Telecommunications ↔ Platform Screen Doors ↔ Stations ↔ Depot ↔ Airport Operations

Successful management of these interfaces will be essential to delivering a reliable, safe and high-capacity automated passenger transport system.

The Al Maktoum International Airport APM award also demonstrates the increasing role of fully automated rail and guideway systems in the design of large international airports.

As Al Maktoum International Airport develops over the coming years, its Automated People Mover will become an important part of the passenger journey and the wider integrated transport infrastructure supporting Dubai’s future aviation hub..

Contract Classification

L&T has classified the award as a “Large” order.

Under L&T’s internal order-value classification, a Large order represents a contract value between ₹2,500 crore and ₹5,000 crore, equivalent to approximately US$285 million to US$570 million.

The exact contract value has not been disclosed in L&T’s announcement, and the US dollar figures are approximate equivalents based on prevailing exchange rates.

The award strengthens the MHI–L&T consortium’s involvement in the development of one of the world’s most ambitious airport infrastructure programmes and adds another major automated transit project to the growing railway and mobility market in the Gulf region.