On the morning of July 13, 2022, Macao applied the largest diameter shield machine, Aoqin No. 1, to sail smoothly on the Hengqin side of the Hengqin Line Project of Macao Light Rail Transit, marking the first large-diameter seabed connecting Macao and Hengqin. The shield tunnel has entered the stage of full-scale construction.

The extension of the Hengqin Line of the Macao Light Rail Transit is the first time that the Macao SAR government has used the shield method in the construction of rail transit. Aoqin No. 1 shield machine adopts a composite cutter head, innovatively introduces the shield double hinge design, and is equipped with advanced geological detection, high-precision gas-liquid balance, visual monitoring in the soil bin, automatic measurement of shield tail gap, shield radial Intelligent systems such as clearance compensation will provide a strong guarantee for the safe and high-quality construction of submarine tunnels.

The Macau Light Rail Extension Hengqin Line Project was built by Nam Kwong Group, and China Civil Engineering, China Railway 16th Bureau, China Railway Construction and the Fourth Railway Institute, which are affiliated to China Railway Construction, participated in the construction. The project starts from the HE1 station in Macau, and crosses the Shizimen waterway to the west. The HE2 station is located under the passenger inspection building at the Hengqin Port.

As a key livelihood project of the Macao government and a gift project for the 25th anniversary of the return of the motherland, this project is an important link between Macao and the Hengqin Shenzhen Hengqin District.Editor/Ma Xue