First steel box girder installed on China's largest-span cross-sea bridge

(ECNS) -- The first steel box girder was installed on the Shuangyumen Bridge in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Tuesday, marking the start of steel girder erection on the cross-sea bridge. The bridge has the largest span of its kind in China and is the world's largest single-span suspension bridge to use steel box girders.

The bridge is a key part of the second phase of the Liuheng Highway Bridge project at Ningbo Zhoushan Port. The 18.78-kilometer project will connect the islands of Liuheng, Fodu and Meishan.

The Shuangyumen Bridge has a main span of 1,768 meters. Its steel box girder consists of 100 segments weighing more than 30,000 metric tons in total.

The first segment installed is 18 meters long, 40.5 meters wide and 3.5 meters high, and weighs 336.7 metric tons. The installation took place beside the main navigation channel, where tidal conditions left an operational window of only four hours.

Maritime authorities inspected the floating crane, tugboats and patrol vessels before the operation. During the installation, a monitoring system integrating patrol boats, drones and a control room was used to ensure safety.

The second phase of the Liuheng Highway Bridge project will strengthen the transport network at Ningbo Zhoushan Port and support the high-quality development of Zhejiang's marine economy.

(By Tang Yuxian)