On March 26, under the full escort of Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) of Shantou City, a caisson weighing 2,521 tonnes and comparable in size to a six-story building was safely delivered to the construction site of Phase III of the Guang’ao Port Area of Shantou Port. This marked the arrival of the first massive caisson for the project and signifies that construction of the vertical quay wall hydraulic structure has entered a critical phase. During this oversized marine transportation operation, the maritime authorities of Shantou conducted advance planning, maintained on-site escort duties, and implemented precise control measures, successfully completing the escort mission for the first caisson and effectively accelerating the progress of this major construction project.
The Phase III project of the Guang’ao Port Area of Shantou Port is one of the 102 major projects under the national 14th Five-Year Plan for the development of a modern comprehensive transportation system, and a key project in Guangdong Province’s port development plan. Upon completion, it will significantly enhance the port’s throughput capacity and integrated service capabilities, promote the clustering of port-related industries, and support Shantou in building itself into a sub-provincial central city and a national comprehensive transportation hub.
According to MSA of Shantou, the first caisson measures 19.92 meters in length, 17.1 meters in width, and 17.9 meters in height. With its large size and weight and high installation precision requirements, the entire process—from loading-out, floating transport, positioning, to installation—is technically challenging due to offshore working conditions, tides, and wind and wave impacts. In addition, the transportation route involves complex waterways with dense vessel traffic, posing significant safety challenges. To ensure the successful transportation and installation of the first caisson, the Shantou maritime authorities provided proactive services, initiated a dedicated safety assurance plan in advance, conducted risk inspections in relevant waters, and guided the construction unit and China Merchants Port Group to refine transportation routes, safeguard measures, and emergency response procedures.
During the transportation process, MSA of Shantou deployed patrol vessels Haixun 0920 and Haixun 09002 for continuous on-site stationing and real-time escort. Through high-frequency communications, the authorities maintained uninterrupted coordination with the transport vessel and strictly controlled the entry and exit of unrelated vessels in the construction waters. Utilizing intelligent maritime platforms and video surveillance, they achieved full-process visualized and dynamic supervision, promptly directing passing vessels and handling emergencies, thereby establishing a dedicated “green channel” for the caisson transport.
MSA of Shantou stated that it will continue to focus on the construction of Phase III of the Guang’ao Port Area, optimize waterborne traffic support services, closely monitor key stages such as subsequent batch transportation of caissons and underwater works, and strengthen safety supervision and coordinated operations to ensure the safe construction of port engineering projects.
Source: China Transportation News