Transport

In recent years an expanding population, a growing industrial base and the increasing number of tourists visiting the emirate have driven RAK’s transport infrastructure growth. Taken together with storage and communications, the transport sector contributed an estimated 6.55%, or about $313.6m, to the economy in 2010. To cater for the 40% increase in the number of registered motor vehicles over two years since 2009, road networks are expanding. New projects, such as the RAK Ring Road, will facilitate more direct travel routes and will serve to alleviate major congestion points. Moreover, the emirate also recently opened its fifth seaport, and work to upgrade the airport and expand air traffic routes is also under way. With the number of tourists visiting RAK widely expected to grow, in April 2012 airport authorities announced plans to increase passenger handling capacity from 500,000 to 2m. This chapter includes an interview with Colin Crookshank, Group General Manager of RAK Ports.