Second Penang Bridge to start in November 2007

XIAMEN: China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) is expected to start construction work on the second Penang bridge in November and will use a special technology for the project to ensure its completion in 2011.
CHEC information manager Ma Jie said the company would use the technology of pre-fabricated box beam, called the 'short-line matching' technology, to produce short sections of beams, each measuring 3 to 4 metres for the bridge.
"The small size of the beams will make it easy for them to be transported to the site of the bridge with smaller vessels.
"It is not practical to produce long beams, which require large vessels to carry them.
"Large vessels will have a tough time transporting the beams to the site because the sea surrounding the project is shallow.
Ann artist's impression of the Second Penang Bridge"Finally, we can also manufacture small beams with greater measurement precision and accuracy," he said.
Ma added that construction work for the second bridge is expected to begin in November 2007. Ma spoke at a briefing to some 20 journalists from Malaysia held in Xiamen, where CHEC is constructing the 3.8km Jimei Bridge, using the same technology.
The Penang second bridge is the sixth bridge undertaken by CHEC using the technology.
CHEC is using the same technology to build the Jimei and Sutong bridges in Xiamen and Shanghai.
"We expect to manufacture the beams in one year. It will take another 22 to 23 months to join the beams together," he said.
Ma said some six production lines to produce the beams would be set up in Penang.
"Construction work should begin before the year ends.
"Some 1,000 engineers and technicians from China are estimated to be involved in the project.
"They will be sent to Penang in gradual phases to work on the second bridge," he added.
Ma said pre-stress technology would also be used to manufacture the beams.
"The pre-stress technology enables the bridge to withstand the impact from an earthquake of 7 on the richter scale," he said.
Ma said the cost of the raw materials and the design of the bridge had yet to be finalised.
China is providing Malaysia US$800mil in loans, with a 3% interest rate and a repayment period of 20 years.