A RUNWAY expansion project for the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport will reclaim over 2.92 million square meters of land from the sea, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.

    Tagen Group, CCCC-FHDI Engineering Co. Ltd. and China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. jointly won the bidding for the project and secured the 4.3-billion-yuan (US$621.46 million) contract Friday.

    The project will reclaim 2.92 million square meters of land from the sea to build a soft ground of 2.8 million square meters, equaling the size of 400 international standard football fields. The project includes the construction of the airport’s third runway and supporting facilities, with a construction period of 660 days.

    According to the report, the launch of the project marks the beginning of the airport’s runway expansion plan. The airport’s transport capacity will be strengthened after the third runway is put into use, which will be essential in creating a “four-hour airline circle” along the Maritime Silk Road for passengers from Shenzhen.

    The airport now has two runways. The first runway is 3,400 meters long and 45 meters wide and the second runway, which is 3,800 meters long and 60 meters wide, was put into operation in 2011.

    The Shenzhen airport, opened Oct. 12, 1991, is one of the three largest airport hubs serving the Pearl River Delta area, alongside Hong Kong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The Shenzhen airport has direct ferry routes to Hong Kong airport, where passengers can transit without going through immigration and custom checks, akin to transit between two flights. (Zhang Yang)