China is currently building the world’s largest artificial-island airport in Dalian, a port city in northeastern Liaoning province. The ambitious project, which highlights China’s engineering prowess and commitment to infrastructure development, involves building an airport entirely on land reclaimed from the sea. according to South China Morning PostDalian Jinzhouwan International Airport is set to replace the existing Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, which is struggling to accommodate increasing passenger traffic due to lack of space.
Covering an area of approximately 20.9 square kilometres, the artificial island airport will surpass other similar projects globally in terms of size and scale. The airport will be larger than Hong Kong International Airport (12.48 sq km) and Kansai Airport (10.5 sq km), both of which are also located on artificial islands.
“For the people of Dalian to say this is the biggest, that’s exactly it,” said Li Hanming, founder of an aviation consultancy.
Strategically located near Japan and South Korea, the bustling port city of Dalian is based on international trade. With a population of over 6 million, the city has emerged as a major hub for oil refineries, shipping, logistics and coastal tourism.
The construction involved advanced land reclamation techniques, using millions of cubic meters of sand and rock to create artificial islands. Once completed, the airport will have four runways and a massive 900,000 square meter terminal spread over approximately 9.69 million square feet. Initially, the terminal will accommodate 43 million passengers annually, more than double the capacity of the existing airport. Ultimately, it will handle 80 million passengers and process 1 million tons of cargo annually, addressing the growing demand for air travel in the region and boosting Dalian’s status as a major economic and transportation hub.
The project, worth $4.3 billion, is expected to be completed by 2035. As of August, foundation work on 77,000 square meters of reclamation area has been completed, followed by land reclamation and terminal foundation work.
Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport, originally built during the Japanese occupation nearly a century ago, has undergone several expansions. However, it has now reached its maximum capacity. According to Xinhua, last year the airport handled 658,000 international passengers.
