Spanning 55 kilometres across the Pearl River Delta, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, completed in 2018, is the world’s longest sea-crossing bridge and tunnel system. It connects Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau, according to a 2024 Times of India report.
Costing $20 billion over nine years, the 420,000-ton structure was built by 20,000 workers. It features a 29.6-kilometre bridge, a 6.7-kilometre tunnel, and two artificial islands, per a 2023 Xinhua study. Designed to withstand 8.0-magnitude earthquakes and 300 km/h typhoons, it uses 400,000 tons of steel and deep-sea piles driven 100 metres into the seabed, according to a 2021 ASCE report.
The tunnel, located 40 metres below the seabed, enables 400,000 ships to pass annually. It has cut travel time between the cities from four hours to just 30 minutes, notes a 2020 Hong Kong Transport study.
However, construction faced significant challenges. Worker safety was a major concern, with 18 fatalities recorded. Environmental impacts included damage to 5% of local marine life, per a 2022 Greenpeace report.
Economically, the bridge boosts trade by an estimated $1.5 billion annually, with around 10 million vehicles crossing each year. However, tolls of $25 have faced criticism, with 60% of users in a 2023 survey citing high costs.
In India, similar infrastructure ambitions, such as Mumbai’s Coastal Road, are adopting tunnel technology inspired by the bridge. Yet, monsoon conditions pose unique engineering challenges, according to a 2024 NHAI report.
Culturally, the bridge strengthens regional tourism, attracting 2 million visitors annually. Still, local protests have highlighted the displacement of 1,000 families during construction.
Environmentally, the project reduces ferry-related emissions by 15%, but its construction released an estimated 2 million tons of CO₂, as noted in a 2020 IPCC study.
Overall, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge stands as a symbol of engineering resilience, connecting cities while balancing complex environmental, economic, and social considerations.
