Airport's 3rd runway project approved

Work on the third runway of Shenzhen International Airport has been approved, according to an approval notice released Tuesday by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planning body.

The NDRC said in the notice that the approval is to meet the needs of rapid growth in aviation and accelerate construction of world-class airports in the Pearl River Delta area while promoting the development of the international air transport hub.

The third runway, at an investment of 9.35 billion yuan (US$1.38 billion) and measuring 3,600 meters in length and 60 meters in width, is designed to meet the airport’s capacity, which will reach 80 million passenger turnover, and 2.6 million mail and cargo turnover, by 2030. It will accommodate the landing and taking off of all types of commercial aircraft.

The project also includes a 3,500-sqm control tower, 8,500-sqm business operation building and 1,500-sqm equipment building with facilities for air control, communication, navigation, monitoring and meteorology.

The recently issued Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area mentioned building a world-class airport cluster in the Pearl River Delta.

It included plans on strengthening the status of Hong Kong’s international aviation hub, enhancing the competitiveness of the international hubs of Guangzhou and Shenzhen airports, and promoting functions of Macao and Zhuhai airports.

It raised the status of the Shenzhen airport, making Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen the top four international hubs on the mainland.

In 2018, the Shenzhen airport handled passenger throughput of 49.5 million, and cargo and mail throughput of 1.2 million tons. It is now operating international routes to more than 40 world cities.

The airport currently has two runways. The second runway, 3,800 meters in length and 60 meters in width, was put into use in 2011.