On Sept 28, the "DaDao Pioneer" shield machine was launched, signifying that the construction of the Guangzhou Haizhu Bay Tunnel has entered an important stage of shield construction.

The "DaDao Pioneer" shield machine. [Photo/Yangcheng Evening News]

The Haizhu Bay Tunnel project spans across Haizhu district and Panyu district, running through the Pearl River Lijiao Waterway, Luoxi Island, as well as Sanzhixiangxiang Road with a double-pipe single-layer shield tunnel. The total length of the line is 4.35 kilometers. Among them, the shield section is 2,077 meters long and the excavation diameter is 15.07 meters. It is the first super-diameter shield tunnel under construction in Guangzhou.

This shield machine is 140 meters long, with a total weight of about 4,000 metric tons and a height of more than 5 floors. It will be put into use on the west line of the Haizhu Bay Tunnel project.

The Haizhu Bay Tunnel Project is scheduled to be completed and opened to traffic by the end of 2024. Upon completion, the travel time from the downtown to Guangzhou South Railway Station is expected to be shortened to 15 minutes, which will effectively enhance Guangzhou South Railway Station's service capacity.