China, December 17, 2024 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): China is constructing what will be the world’s largest artificial-island airport, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, to enhance the northeastern port city of Dalian’s position as a regional transportation hub. The Dalian Jinzhouwan International Airport, currently under construction, will cover an impressive 20 square kilometers (7.72 square miles), as per the Liaoning provincial government’s official website.
Once completed, the new airport will surpass both Hong Kong International Airport, which spans 12.48 sq km, and Japan’s Kansai International Airport, measuring 10.5 sq km—both of which are located on artificial islands.
“For Dalian people to say it’s the largest, that’s exactly what it is,” aviation consultancy founder Li Hanming told SCMP.
The offshore Jinzhouwan Airport will serve Dalian, a hub for trade with neighboring Japan and South Korea due to its strategic location. Situated on a peninsula at the northern end of the Bohai Strait, the city of over six million people has grown into a center for oil refineries, shipping, logistics and coastal tourism.
Jinzhouwan is the first airport in mainland China to be built entirely on an artificial offshore island. According to the provincial government, it will eventually house four runways and a massive terminal spanning 900,000 square meters (9.69 million square feet). The terminal will initially handle 43 million passengers annually—more than double the capacity of the existing Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport—and will expand to accommodate up to 80 million passengers per year.
Airports Council International, a global industry group based in Canada, said the airport will also manage one million tonnes of cargo annually once fully operational. The entire project is expected to cost $4.3 billion and is slated for completion by 2035.
Summary: China announces plans to construct the world’s largest artificial-island airport, designed to accommodate 43 million passengers annually.