INSPECTION AT SEA: Vice Premier Li Keqiang (third from right) travels to the construction site of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge after attending the project's commencement ceremony on December 15, 2009 (HUANG JINGWEN)

The construction of the world's longest sea bridge between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao kicked off in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on December 15, 2009.

Vice Premier Li Keqiang, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Governor Huang Huahua of Guangdong Province, Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah of the Macao SAR, and incoming Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On of the Macao SAR, who was sworn into office on December 20, were all present at the commencement ceremony. Officials expect the bridge to be complete by 2016.

"The construction of the bridge is a milestone event," Li said at the ceremony. "It is a move for Hong Kong, Macao and the Pearl River Delta area to cope with the global economic downturn, boost investment and inspire people."

Great work

The Y-shaped Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will span almost 50 km when it is finished. About 35 km of the bridge will be built over the sea, making it the longest ocean-spanning bridge in the world, said Zhu Yongling, an official in charge of the construction project. The bridge will be one of the most technically complicated projects in China's transportation history, he said.

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The main 35 km of the bridge includes a 29.6-km oversea pass and a 6-km harbor tunnel under the South China Sea. Two artificial islands will connect the tunnel and bridge on either side, he said.

Construction of the tunnel and the two artificial islands at the two ends of the tunnel will be among the most difficult projects ever to be built in the world, according to bridge designer Meng Fanchao.

"The artificial island in the sea between Zhuhai and Macao will work as a custom border island to divide the flow of traffic from Hong Kong to Macao and from Hong Kong to Zhuhai," Zhu said.

The bridge will link Hong Kong's Lantau Island to the artificial island near Zhuhai and Macao. From there, one end of the bridge will link to Zhuhai and the other will connect Macao.

The bridge will be built as a standard six-lane expressway with a vehicle speed limit of 100 km per hour.

"It has been designed with a service life of 120 years. It can withstand the impact of a strong wind with a speed of 51 meters per second, or equal to a maximum Beaufort scale of 16 (184 to 201 km per hour)," Zhu said. "It can also resist a magnitude 8 earthquake or the impact of a 300,000-ton vessel."

Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao each will have a port, which the local governments will build.

"The Hong Kong SAR Government is making every effort to promote the port project, in hopes of completing it at the same time as the main bridge," Tsang said.

The entire bridge project is estimated to cost almost 73 billion yuan ($10.68 billion). The mainland, Hong Kong and Macao will split the bill, Zhu said.

Some 50 million yuan ($7.32 million) has been budgeted for landscaping, which includes adding sightseeing areas for tourists to enjoy the spectacular views of the South China Sea and white dolphins cruising nearby.

Once the project is complete, it will take travelers about half an hour to drive from Zhuhai or Macao on the west bank of the Pearl River to Hong Kong on the east bank. The current route takes around three hours to complete, he said.