The Lupar Cross-Sea Bridge, a landmark in Sarawak, Malaysia’s largest state, began trial operations on May 21. The bridge was built by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co, Ltd, a subsidiary of China Railway Group Limited.
A panoramic view of the bridge. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The Lupar Cross-Sea Bridge is a crucial project in China-Malaysia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
A panoramic view of the bridge. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The 4,844-meter bridge consists of a main channel bridge plus southern and northern approach roads. The main section comprises a double-tower, three-span, double-cable-plane concrete cable-stayed bridge. Each main tower stands 111.575 meters tall. Offshore construction accounts for 90 percent of the total workload.
A panoramic view of the bridge. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Facing the challenges of rushing tides, whirling waves and solid rock, the construction team adopted an “offshore construction without trestles” approach. They employed multiple independently developed offshore machines to address the various challenges, thereby ensuring efficiency as well as protecting the marine eco-environment and fishery resources.
A panoramic view of the bridge. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The bridge significantly reduces the regional communication and logistics time, as the ferry is no longer the only means of crossing the waterway. Sarawak state will have more convenient coastal transport, less inter-regional travel time, more thriving tourism and greater ability to develop its local oil, gas and agricultural industries. All of eastern Malaysia will be more interconnected and economically robust.
(Executive editor Zuo Shihan)
