Emirates airplanes taxi at the Dubai International Airport (file). As part of its $7.8bn strategic plan to build a “global air transport hub” in the emirate, Dubai Airports said yesterday it will  expand cargo handling facilities at Dubai International Airport by adding two new buildings. The airport operator, which runs both Dubai International and Dubai World Central, said the expansion was in response to the growing volumes of freight being transported through Dubai. “Total annual cargo volumes across both airports are projected to surge from the 2.19mn tonnes recorded last year to 4.1mn tonnes by 2020.” One of the new buildings will increase Dubai International’s cargo terminal capacity by 25% to 1.5mn tonnes a year, while the other will be a new transhipment facility with capacity for 400,000 tonnes of freight a year, and once completed, is expected to handle about 60% of cargo transferred between Dubai International and Dubai World Central, the statement said