After the world’s tallest building, the largest indoor ski hall in the world, the largest and highest fountain show in the world and the largest shopping center in the world, Dubai is also building the world’s largest Ferris wheel.
In February 2013 Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the leader of Dubai, gave the green light for the new project, Dubai Bluewaters Island, which is a 6 billion Dirham (1.2 billion euro) project. This new artificial island lies just off the coast at the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) and the Dubai Marina. The show place of the Bluewaters Island is without doubt the Ain Dubai which was previously known as the Dubai Eye. This Ferris wheel is currently under construction and will be completed in 2021.
In total, the Ain Dubai will be no less than 210 meters high, compared to the London eye is this new ferris wheel bizar high. In addition to the Ferris wheel, there are also an entertainment area, luxury hotels, shops, restaurants, luxury apartments and villas on the Bluewaters Island. In April 2013, the Dutch dredgers of the Van Oord company started the first work for the construction of the island and in early 2015 the island was strong enough to start construction of the Ain Dubai. In order to cope with the large influx of tourists, a special monorail with self-propelled capsules is being constructed between the island and the Dubai Marina metro station. In addition, a 265 meter long pedestrian bridge has been constructed which makes it possible to walk from The Beach at JBR Beach to the Bluewaters Island.
The Ain Dubai, the largest Ferris wheel in the world
The biggest attraction of the Bluewaters Island is undoubtedly the Ain Dubai. This huge Ferris wheel become the largest Ferris wheel in the world with its height of 210 meters. With this, the Ain Dubai beats the Singapore Flyer, the London Eye and the High Flyer in Las Vegas, which with a height of 167 meters is currently the tallest Ferris wheel in the world.
The Ain Dubai has a total of 48 capsules that are on the road for 45 minutes to make one round. In total, a maximum of 1,400 people can enjoy the view of Dubai in the Ain Dubai. Due to a unique design of the step-up platform, the roundness of the wheel is not interrupted, when new guests get in the wheel, the wheel just keeps running. Thanks to the enormous dimensions, the gondolas of the Ferris wheel are a true living room in themselves.
Each gondola can carry up to 40 passengers and offers a 360 degree panoramic view of the Palm Jumeirah island and the impressive skyline of Dubai. A number of capsules will also be provided with tables so that you can enjoy the view and dinner with up to 12 people at the same time. There are also six capsules with a bar so that you can enjoy a drink during your ride in the Ferris wheel.
Not only the height of the Ferris wheel is impressive, the weight of the construction is also extraordinary. The entire wheel weighs 10,000 tons and another 7,000 tons of steel are needed to support the wheel. The four pillars on which the wheel will lean are a total of 130 meters high and in the pillars the axis of the wheel weighs 1,800 tons. After the opening, the foot of the Ferris wheel will act as an entertainment zone with a number of enormous LED screens where videos and light shows can be projected. The total construction of the Ferris wheel is estimated at 200 million euros, whereby the construction of each capsule will cost 1 million euros each.
Everything has been thought about at the Ferris wheel. The wheel is capable of surviving heavy sandstorms and earthquakes are no problem for the Ain Dubai. The wheel is designed so that if the bottom shakes the wheel remains stable. During a possible earthquake, the Ferris wheel is even one of the safest places to be, according to the developers. Safety comes first and that is why every capsule has a double air conditioning if the first air conditioning fails. That’s nice as temperatures in Dubai can rise to 50 degrees in summer. For the air conditioning to run for a long time each capsule is equipped with an emergency generator if the power fails in Dubai.
Opening date Ain Dubai
An exact opening date for the Ain Dubai has not yet been announced, but it is almost certain that somewhere in the middle of 2021 the first visitors will be able to make a round trip with the Ferris wheel in Dubai. At the start of 2020, the capsules will be hung in the frame of the wheel one by one after which the test runs can begin. It is expected that every year 1 to 3 million people will make a ride in the largest Ferris wheel in the world.
Ain Dubai developed by a Dutch company
The Ain Dubai on the Bluewaters Island in Dubai has a considerable Dutch edge thanks to the dredgers of the Dutch company Van Oord which have sprayed the island, Mammoet who placed the frame of the Ferris wheel and the engineering office KCI which has the wheel of the Ain Dubai developed.
In 2021 there will be another opportunity to travel to the island with the Group Rapid Transit (GRT), a modern transport system that will have to connect the island to the metro network of the city. For this system, Dubai went to look around in the Netherlands and eventually ended up at the company 2getthere. This Dutch company will develop the autonomous vehicles and transport systems that will connect Blue Waters Island to the rest of the city. The innovative system with self-propelled capsules / cars goes and gets transport capacity of up to 5,000 passengers per hour per direction. This will make the system the largest in the world of its kind. This new connection will therefore become a showcase for the future in the area of autonomous transport.
Accessibility Bluewaters Island
The Bluewaters island can be reached thanks to the overpass that connects the island to the mainland. From the Sheik Zayed Road you can easily travel to the island by car or taxi. In addition to the overpass, there is also a 265 meter long pedestrian bridge which connects The Beach and the JBR to the Bluewaters Island. From the bridge you have a magnificent view of the island itself and the skyline of the Dubai Marina with the JBR Beach in the forefront.
You can park in one of the parking garages on the island or at the valet parking which is available at various locations on the island. Parking in the parking garages is not free, the exact parking fees are not yet announced. In 2021 there will be another opportunity to travel to the island with the Group Rapid Transit (GRT), a modern transport system that will have to connect the island to the metro network of the city.
