HKIE Online

Tender invitations for Kowloon Southern Link

The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) is inviting tenders for three contracts covering the construction of the Kowloon Southern Link (KSL).

The contracts cover the construction of the permanent way for the link, the supply and installation of a tunnel ventilation system, and the provision of a traction power and overhead line system.

KCRC was given the go-ahead by the Government to construct the 3.8 km link recently. The KSL will connect West Rail's Nam Cheong Station with East Rail's East Tsim Sha Tsui Station, providing passengers from Northwest New Territories with a direct link to urban Kowloon. As part of the HK$8.3 billion project, a new West Kowloon Station will be constructed at the site now occupied by Canton Road Government Offices, from where passengers will be able to reach the China Ferry Terminal on Canton Road within minutes.

To minimise inconvenience and disturbance to the public, the whole of the KSL will be underground. Bored tunnelling methods are to be used along Canton Road; where cut-and-cover has to be used, special efforts will be made to minimise the disturbance caused.

Tender submissions for the 25kV traction power and overhead line system contract
are due on 9 September 2005 while the deadline for both the permanent way and tunnel ventilation system contracts is 14 October 2005.

The KSL is a railway project recommended in the Government's Railway Development Strategy 2000. Works on the KSL is due for completion in 2009.

The Kowloon Southern Link (in purple) will connect West Rail and East Rail

CKI to expand Zhuhai power plant

Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd (CKI) has signed an agreement with Guangdong Yudean Group Co Ltd to jointly invest 6 billion yuan in Units 3 and 4 of the Zhuhai Power Plant Phase 1.

The two new units will have an installed capacity of 600 MW each and are expected to commence commercial operation in phases during the second half of 2006, with an annual generating capacity of approximately 7 billion kWh. CKI said the power generating units would use a high temperature, high pressure technology that is very efficient and involves lower operating cost. The extension project will also include the installation of a desulphurisation plant.

Phase 1 of the Zhuhai Power Plant has four power generating units which upon completion will have a combined installed capacity of 2,600 MW and an annual electricity output of approximately 15 billion kWh, making it one of the largest coal-fired thermal power plants in China.

Paul Y to build housing over Tiu Keng Leng MTR

Paul Y Engineering has been awarded a HK$969.2 million contract by Cheung Kong (Holdings) to build a residential complex on a 3.24 ha site on top of Tiu Keng Leng MTR station.

Phase 1 of the project calls for the construction of two 53-storey towers and three 52-storey towers with 1,676 apartments and a total gross floor area (GFA) of about 107,000 sq m. There will also be 13,000-17,000 sq m of retail space. The entire project will have nine towers containing 3,772 flats with a total GFA of 236,965 sq m. The average size of the flats will be 62.8 sq m.

Cheung Kong and partner Nan Fung Development won the tender for the site in 2002. The develop aims to put 800 of the flats on sale by the end of the year.

HACTL seals data integration deal

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (HACTL) and Global Logistics System (HK) Co Ltd (GLSHK) have signed an agreement for a project to enable data integration between GLSHK's Internet-based multi-carrier air cargo portal Ezycargo, and the cargo reception functions of HACTL's Community System for Air Cargo (COSAC).

The data integration project allows confirmed shipment booking data at Ezycargo to be electronically connected to HACTL's COSAC as pre-declaration data. This will streamline the data entry processes for freight forwarding companies who book cargo space with Ezycargo's participating carriers. Freight forwarders can also view and update pre-declared cargo data at the Ezycargo portal, as well as gain access to information in COSAC upon the cargo being physically accepted by HACTL.

Under the agreement, HACTL will develop the interface software for the functions that enables the data integration. The deployment of the integration will start from November 29 this year.

"The co-operation is an initial step forward in facilitating cargo data inheritance amongst different parties in the logistics chain. The partnership is conducive to enhancing the overall efficiency of the logistics chain, thereby increasing the competitiveness of the Hong Kong air cargo community," said Summit Chan, HACTL's director of corporate development.

Wai Kee to build sewage treatment works in Yangtze delta

Construction firm Wai Ke Holdings is to develop a sewage treatment plant in Wuxi, in the Yangtze River delta, under a build-operate arrangement

The company plans to invest a total of US$30 million in the project. The first phase of the project, due to be completed in July 2006, will have the capacity to treat 2.5 million tonnes of sewage per day. Construction of the second phase is due to start in early 2006.

Towngas enters China's water treatment market

The Hong Kong & Gas Co Ltd (Towngas) has entered the water treatment market in China with the signing of a joint venture agreement with Jiangsu Province's Wujiang Water Investment Co Ltd to establish Wujiang Hong Kong & Water Company Ltd.

Towngas will have an 80% stake in the joint venture company, its first water project in mainland China. The joint venture involves a total investment of 970 million yuan and holds a 30-year exclusive franchise for supplying water to the Wujiang administrative zone.

"It is fitting that the project is located in Wujiang, where [we] have been involved in a city piped gas joint venture since 2003," said Towngas managing director Alfred Chan. "Towngas brings rich experience in both mainland gas utility projects and network construction and management ...This wealth of related experience will create synergies with our piped gas business, bringing us enhanced cost effectiveness."

Water is currently supplied to 180,000 households in Wujiang, a city with a population of 780,000. Water consumption in 2005 is forecast at 115 million cu m. Demand for water in Wujiang has grown at an annual rate of over 20% since 2001 and is expected to remain high in the future due to rapid economic, social and business development.

Mr Chan said Towngas would continue to explore opportunities to develop water projects in other Chinese cities.

Scott Wilson to design Anhui tourism masterplan

Scott Wilson has been appointed planning consultant by the Hua Qiang Group for the development of a masterplan for the proposed 3.3 sq km Hua Qiang Tourism City in Wuhu, Anhui province.

The project calls for the development of a 1.66 million sq m theme park with 702,700 sq m of water-based recreational facilities and 960,000 sq m of land-based leisure facilities, as well as comprehensive property development with a total gross floor area of over 2 million sq m.

The property portion of the project, comprising mainly low rises with some high-rise buildings by the river, is to be developed over a period of six to eight years. Construction is due to start in early 2006.

Flood prevention in Sheung Wan

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) is to seek funding approval from the Legislative Council for two drainage improvement projects in Sheung Wan to prevent flooding.

The projects call for the laying of a 1 km long interceptor drain in Queens Road Central starting in early 2006 and the construction from early 2007 of a stormwater pumping station to alleviate flooding in the low-lying area around Wing Lok Street and Hellier Street.

To reduce the risk of flooding in Central and Western District, DSD also plans to commence work on a 10 km stormwater drainage tunnel of more than 6 m diameter in Mid-Levels by mid-2007, to intercept stormwater and divert it to Pokfulam for discharge.

MTR gets nod for West Island Line

The MTR Corporation has been instructed to proceed with planning for the West Island Line (WIL).

WIL will be an extension of the existing MTR Island Line from Sheung Wan to Kennedy Town with two intermediate stations at Sai Ying Pun and University. The Government gave the corporation the green light to proceed with WIL due to the traffic congestion currently affecting the main corridors in Western District that causes 1 km long tailbacks during rush-hours.

"As Western District is fully developed, there are serious constraints in constructing any new roads to alleviate the traffic congestion problem. The WIL will divert passengers of
road-based transport to rail services and is, therefore, fully justified on transport grounds," a government spokesperson said.

However, the Corporation's proposal to build a South Island Line that would serve Southern District remains in the review stage, with the Government saying that a decision would be made "in the light of the results of the Planning Department's review on the planning of tourism and commercial development in the Southern District and the Government's consideration of Ocean Park's redevelopment proposal". The planning review is due for completion by the end of this year.

The total cost of WIL and SIL together is estimated at HK$14.6-16.5 billion. The cost of a phased scheme is being worked out. MTR is also in talks with the Government over public funding for the project.