Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link: SANY powers another major milestone in China's infrastructure

On June 30, 2024, seven years after the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge opened to traffic, China's Pearl River Delta celebrated another momentous milestone - the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link officially opened to trial operations. The link, connecting the bustling Shenzhen city and Zhongshan city, integrates bridges, man-made islands, tunnels, and underwater passages with a total length of 24 kilometers and a two-way eight-lane.

While the completion of the Link is certainly exciting, the super project has been known as one of the most challenging sea-crossing projects in the world due to its geographical location and technical difficulties. Behind the project, SANY, as one of the contributors, plays a pivotal role.

Engineering Marvels: SANY's Role in Sea-Crossing Projects

In July 2019, multiple SANY crawler cranes were lowering the first steel suspension box of the Lingdingyang Bridge, a critical component of the Link. With a height of 14.5 meters and an outer diameter of 41.2 meters, the suspension box weighs nearly 1,800 tons, more than the combined weight of seven Airbus A380s. The suspension box, which is an important anti-collision measure, provides a strong security guarantee for the bridge. After 10 hours of continuous work, SANY cranes lowered the box accurately into place.

In March 2020, the project entered its key and most difficult phase – pouring over 5,098 cubic meters of concrete in a single operation, equivalent to four standard swimming pools. The high temperature and strong sea wind required a fast and continuous casting, otherwise, the concrete would set unevenly, leading to cracks. To ensure smooth pouring, SANY dispatched service engineers to the site. Consulting with the technical personnel, together they made a careful plan for the pouring sequence and quality assurance. Ultimately, multiple 48-meter SANY pump trucks completed the casting work in 72 hours of continuous work, nearly 10% shorter than the scheme time, setting a new record for offshore construction. Such outstanding performance underscores SANY's strong R&D capability and leading manufacturing standards, which enable the equipment to maintain a high degree of stability and reliability even in complex engineering demands and harsh working environments.

Ushering in a new era: a 30-minute life circle

With the Link opening to traffic, the journey time from Shenzhen to Zhongshan has been reduced from 2 hours to 30 minutes, effectively integrating the two cities into a single, accessible living area where daily commutes and activities can be managed within a 30-minute travel radius. The completion of the Link not only largely improved the living quality of local people, but also injected new vitality into the economic boom of the Pearl River Delta.