Nansha Port railway bridge fully connected

The aerial view of the Nansha Port railway bridge that crosses the Xijiang River. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The Nansha Port railway bridge that crosses the Xijiang River was connected on Aug 9. Boasting the world's largest span among all two-way freight railway H-shaped bridges, its last steel box girder, weighing 75.1 metric tons, was installed on the day. 

"The bridge is located in Jiangmen where typhoons frequently occur. The main bridge will be able to withstand grade 12 typhoons," said a director surnamed Zhang from China Railway 11 Bureau Group Co Ltd, which is overseeing the bridge's construction.

The design and construction of the bridge boasts several technical innovations, with more than 10 patents being awarded during construction.

The Nansha Port railway, which connects Jiangmen, Zhongshan, Foshan, and Guangzhou, is scheduled to start operation in 2020 to further elevate the competitiveness of Nansha Port, realize rail-water transportation to lower logistics cost for companies along the railway, as well as boost manufacturing development in Foshan's Shunde district.