Featured Projects
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal New Tourism Facilities
Expertise of Hong Kong Construction Exemplified in Four Major Challenges
In 2003, the mega cruise vessel Mariner of the Seas loaded with over 3,000 travellers from around the world docked at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, becoming the first vessel to use the terminal. The construction of the terminal was met with different difficulties and challenges. The various issues were resolved with the cooperation and efforts of a team of outstanding professionals, bringing the construction of the cruise terminal to a successful close.
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal has the capacity to berth two world’s largest cruise vessels at one time.
Keypoints
- Pre-assembly of components was used in the concurrent construction of a sloping seawall and the cruise terminal building.
- Beides a Hong Kong tourist attraction, the terminal is also a building of practical function while opening to public and connecting with the neighbour community.
- Kai Tak Cruise Terminal features a number of sustainable designs and was one of the first buildings in Hong Kong to receive the highest rating since the establishment of BEAM plus.
Developing Hong Kong as a Cruise Hub of Asia
The Kai Tak Development (KTD) project is one of the ten mega infrastructure projects announced by the government, and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is the first major tourism infrastructure project completed within KTD. The terminal is located at the end of the former Kai Tak Airport Runway, and the redevelopment of the former airport into a cruise terminal symbolises the renewal of the site as a transportation hub of Hong Kong. The planning vision of KTD is to develop “a distinguished, vibrant, attractive and people-oriented community by the Victoria Harbour”.
The government had begun redevelopment planning of the site before relocating the airport at Kai Tak, and it had completed a feasibility study by 1998. In view of public concerns over harbour reclamation, the government formulated a revised scheme proposing the reduction of reclamation area from 300 hectares to 133 hectares. In January 2004, the Final Court of Appeal handed down its judgement stating that reclamation would only be permitted in cases of “overriding public need”. As a result of the court’s ruling, the government commissioned the “Kai Tak Planning Review” with “zero reclamation” as the starting point and carried out an extensive three-stage public participation programme.
In 2008, the government announced its plan to build a cruise terminal at the site of the old Kai Tak Airport, which aimed to enhance Hong Kong’s tourism appeal and cater to the growing number of cruise travellers. In October 2008, the government pledged in the Policy Address to commence the works in 2009. The design and construction were supervised by the government, and the building of the cruise terminal building and berthing facilities cost a total of HKD8.2 billion.
The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal development project was divided into three parts. They included the site formation cum berthing structure implemented by Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), the cruise terminal building by Architectural Services Department (ASD) and the sourcing of apron area facilities by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD).
In 2008, the government announced its plan to build a cruise terminal at the site of the old Kai Tak Airport, which aimed to enhance Hong Kong’s tourism appeal and cater to the growing number of cruise travellers. In October 2008, the government pledged in the Policy Address to commence the works in 2009. The design and construction were supervised by the government, and the building of the cruise terminal building and berthing facilities cost a total of HKD8.2 billion.
The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal development project was divided into three parts. They included the site formation cum berthing structure implemented by Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), the cruise terminal building by Architectural Services Department (ASD) and the sourcing of apron area facilities by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD).
Challenge One: Commitment of “Zero Reclamation”
The site formation works by CEDD commenced in November 2009 and was carried out in multiple phases. It included the demolition of the existing seawall and the construction of an approximately 1,100-meter long sloping seawall, which would free up additional land for constructing a new apron area with quay deck. The works involved dredging of about 86 hectares of adjoining seabed to provide a water depth of about 12 to 13 meters for manoeuvring and berthing cruise vessels.
Chief Engineer of CEDD Yung Kin-man notes that the major challenge was to carry out the work in accordance with the principle of “zero reclamation”. The works involved setting back the existing 1,1oo-meter long sloping seabed towards the land direction along with the dredging of seabed, so that the 850-meter long and 35-meter wide apron area with quay deck could be constructed within the shore boundary of the original runway. To ensure that the works was carried out in an environmentally responsible manner, suitable materials from the demolished seawall were sorted out and recycled for use in the construction of the new seawall.
Chief Engineer of CEDD Yung Kin-man notes that the major challenge was to carry out the work in accordance with the principle of “zero reclamation”. The works involved setting back the existing 1,1oo-meter long sloping seabed towards the land direction along with the dredging of seabed, so that the 850-meter long and 35-meter wide apron area with quay deck could be constructed within the shore boundary of the original runway. To ensure that the works was carried out in an environmentally responsible manner, suitable materials from the demolished seawall were sorted out and recycled for use in the construction of the new seawall.
Chief Engineer of CEDD Yung Kin-man emphasises that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal development project has been reviewed and revised to address public concerns.
To ensure that the works was carried out in an environmentally responsible manner, suitable materials from the demolished seawall were sorted out and recycled for use in the construction of the new seawall.
Challenge Two: Racing against Time
Dragages Hong Kong Ltd. was appointed as the contractor for the design and construction of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building and its ancillary facilities, and the company joined forces with Wong Tung & Partners Ltd. and AECOM Asia Company Ltd. to form a professional technical team. Foster + Partners and Wong Tung & Partners supervised the architectural design of the 7.6-hectare, 3-storey Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building located at the southern end of the former Kai Tai Airport Runway. AECOM oversaw the mechanical and electrical design as well as structural and environmental design of the building.
Technical Director of Dragages Hong Kong Ltd. James Marshall says that the team was working to a tight deadline. “The first cruise berth was scheduled for 2013. With only 36 months to complete the works, there was no room for any delay,” he notes. Deputy Managing Director of Wong Tung & Parnters Ltd. John Yuen remarks that at 850 meters, the length of the cruise terminal building posed a significant challenge for the works. “That equals the combined height of the two IFC (International Finance Centre) towers. Besides cruise berths that are capable of accommodating two mega cruise vessels simultaneously, the building and its ancillary facilities must have the capacity to handle up to 3,000 passengers per hour.”
Technical Director of Dragages Hong Kong Ltd. James Marshall says that the team was working to a tight deadline. “The first cruise berth was scheduled for 2013. With only 36 months to complete the works, there was no room for any delay,” he notes. Deputy Managing Director of Wong Tung & Parnters Ltd. John Yuen remarks that at 850 meters, the length of the cruise terminal building posed a significant challenge for the works. “That equals the combined height of the two IFC (International Finance Centre) towers. Besides cruise berths that are capable of accommodating two mega cruise vessels simultaneously, the building and its ancillary facilities must have the capacity to handle up to 3,000 passengers per hour.”
Contractor Dragages Hong Kong Ltd. joined forces with Wong Tung & Partners Ltd. and AECOM Asia Company Ltd. to form a professional technical team. From the left, Jacky Wong, Managing Director of AECOM, John Yuen, Deputy Managing Director of Wong Tung & Partners Ltd., James Marsall, Technical Director of Dragages Hong Kong Ltd. and Cheung Chi Wan, Deputy Director of Wong Tung & Partners Ltd.
Challenge Three: Concurrent Construction and Terminal Opening
Given the tight construction programme, AECOM Consulting Services Ltd. appointed by CEDD for the project requested the works for the cruise terminal building to be carried out concurrently as the reconstruction of the seawall, so as to meet the opening schedule of the first cruise berth.
Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd. installed 1,227 tubular steel piles of 1.1 to 1.2-meter diameter in four rows to support the 850-meter long and 35-meter wide new quay deck. Piles located north of the apron area are deeper than those on the south side, approximately 65 meters in length. The row adjacent to the land comprises 700 1.1-meter diameter interlocked continuous steel piles, forming a retaining wall of about 900 meters long, and which also plays the role of supporting the quay deck. This design combining quay deck support and retaining wall enabled the structure to perform different functions during the works after its completion; more importantly, it allowed the foundation and construction works for the quay deck and the terminal building to be carried out concurrently at their respective sites.
Chief Engineer of CEDD Yung Kin-man adds that a key feature of the construction of the quay deck was the installation of the supporting piles and the vertical walling on land prior to the dredging works between the piles and also the reconstruction of seawall. As such, no piling works was required to be carried out at sea, which minimised the effects of inclement weather on construction progress and enhanced the efficiency of construction. For constructing the deck of the apron area, pre-assembly was also employed to minimise the need for template assembly to be carried out at sea and to speed up construction progress.
Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd. installed 1,227 tubular steel piles of 1.1 to 1.2-meter diameter in four rows to support the 850-meter long and 35-meter wide new quay deck. Piles located north of the apron area are deeper than those on the south side, approximately 65 meters in length. The row adjacent to the land comprises 700 1.1-meter diameter interlocked continuous steel piles, forming a retaining wall of about 900 meters long, and which also plays the role of supporting the quay deck. This design combining quay deck support and retaining wall enabled the structure to perform different functions during the works after its completion; more importantly, it allowed the foundation and construction works for the quay deck and the terminal building to be carried out concurrently at their respective sites.
Chief Engineer of CEDD Yung Kin-man adds that a key feature of the construction of the quay deck was the installation of the supporting piles and the vertical walling on land prior to the dredging works between the piles and also the reconstruction of seawall. As such, no piling works was required to be carried out at sea, which minimised the effects of inclement weather on construction progress and enhanced the efficiency of construction. For constructing the deck of the apron area, pre-assembly was also employed to minimise the need for template assembly to be carried out at sea and to speed up construction progress.
The design combining quay deck support and retaining wall allowed the foundation and construction works for the quay deck and the terminal building to be carried out concurrently at their respective sites.
The apron area with quay deck was constructed from on-site installation of pre-assembled components.
James Marshall, Technical Director of Dragages Hong Kong Ltd. pinpoints that the arch-shaped ceilings of the terminal building were constructed from on-site installation of pre-assembled components. He emphasises that pre-assembly of components is a commonly used technique, particularly in bridge construction. However, it was the first time the technique was used in an 850-meter long terminal building in Hong Kong, and the works demonstrated the coordination and meticulous preparation of the technical team.
The components’ pre-assembled works demonstrated the coordination and meticulous preparation of the technical team.
The arch-shaped ceilings of the terminal building were also constructed from on-site installation of pre-assembled components.
Challenge Four: Architecture of High Functionality
Beyond its distinctive appearance that makes a Hong Kong tourist attraction, the terminal is also a building of practical function whose construction presented a tremendous challenge, as John Yuen, Deputy Managing Director of Wong Tung & Parnters Ltd. describes. “The cruise terminal building serves a similar function as the airport, where visitors’ arrival and departure, inspection and quarantine, and baggage handling happen on-site. The cruise terminal building, however, has limited floor space on each level as compared to the airport. Our team designed different visitor flow diversion plans to ensure that the building’s facilities are capable of handling up to 3,000 passengers per hour during peak time.”
He adds that the cruise terminal building features a rooftop garden with sea view that is open to public. “To utilise daylighting in the eco-friendly building, the design must feature transparency while taking security concerns into consideration. For instance, passengers are not permitted to have any contact with the outside once they pass the customs control.” Despite the challenges it presented, he says the design is intricate like a butterfly. “The same facilities feature in both the right and the left berths on the 2/F boarding hall and the G/F baggage hall. As a result, the terminal is capable of handling boarding and landing at its two berths concurrently, even when there are two cruise vessels berthing at the same time.”
He adds that the cruise terminal building features a rooftop garden with sea view that is open to public. “To utilise daylighting in the eco-friendly building, the design must feature transparency while taking security concerns into consideration. For instance, passengers are not permitted to have any contact with the outside once they pass the customs control.” Despite the challenges it presented, he says the design is intricate like a butterfly. “The same facilities feature in both the right and the left berths on the 2/F boarding hall and the G/F baggage hall. As a result, the terminal is capable of handling boarding and landing at its two berths concurrently, even when there are two cruise vessels berthing at the same time.”
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To utilise daylighting in the eco-friendly building, the design has to feature transparency while taking security concerns into consideration.
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“Wide Span Layout” for Flexible Utilisation
Between peak and non-peak tourist seasons, the highly functional terminal building serves not only visiting and departing travellers, but also Hong Kong people who make use of its facilities. James Marshall states that the terminal building features a wide span layout of column-free design. The structure of the main building is approximately 600-meter long and 70-meter wide, making it one of the largest column-free buildings in Hong Kong. As a result, the layout of the waiting hall in the main building may be configured to host events such as conventions, exhibitions, meetings and banquets during the non-peak season.
John Yuen also notes that Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building is located at the heart of the Victoria Harbour. With its arch exterior, the building has become a landmark of Kowloon East. Open to public, the rooftop garden with sea view makes an ideal location for viewing the stunning scenery of the Victoria Harbour or fireworks at festivals, as it stands out as another feature of the highly functional building.
John Yuen also notes that Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building is located at the heart of the Victoria Harbour. With its arch exterior, the building has become a landmark of Kowloon East. Open to public, the rooftop garden with sea view makes an ideal location for viewing the stunning scenery of the Victoria Harbour or fireworks at festivals, as it stands out as another feature of the highly functional building.
The terminal building features a wide span layout of column-free design, making it highly functional.
The project incorporates a number of sustainable designs.
Philosophy of Sustainable Development
The teams at Dragages Hong Kong, Wong Tung & Partners and AECOM mention that Kai Tak Cruise Terminal features various characteristics of sustainable design. The design incorporates a number of eco-friendly installations and energy-saving facilities, including connection to the District Cooling System for air-conditioning, photovoltaic systems to generate electricity, solar panels to provide hot water, a rain water recycling system for irrigation, carbon dioxide sensors, a building energy management system, and service-on-demand controls for escalators and passenger conveyors.
The building’s 700-meter long glass curtain walls face east and west, and possess a streamlined and arch exterior; the combination reduces the building’s thermal load, brings natural light into the building and increase circulation. In addition, the building has an air-conditioning to natural ventilation ratio of 3:7 to enhance energy saving.
In 2012, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building completed the green certification assessment. The development achieved the highest rating in energy saving, carbon dioxide emission reduction, and impact on surrounding environment and indoor environmental quality, and received the BEAM plus Provisional Platinum rating from the Hong Kong Green Building Council. It became one of the first buildings in Hong Kong to receive the highest rating since the establishment of BEAM plus.
The building’s 700-meter long glass curtain walls face east and west, and possess a streamlined and arch exterior; the combination reduces the building’s thermal load, brings natural light into the building and increase circulation. In addition, the building has an air-conditioning to natural ventilation ratio of 3:7 to enhance energy saving.
In 2012, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Building completed the green certification assessment. The development achieved the highest rating in energy saving, carbon dioxide emission reduction, and impact on surrounding environment and indoor environmental quality, and received the BEAM plus Provisional Platinum rating from the Hong Kong Green Building Council. It became one of the first buildings in Hong Kong to receive the highest rating since the establishment of BEAM plus.
Timeline
| Year | Milestones |
| Nov 2009 | Site formation works commenced, including dredging of adjoining seabed to provide a water depth of about 12 to 13 meters for manoeuvring and berthing cruise vessels. |
| Oct 2012 | Completion of the first cruise berth |
| June 2013 | The first cruise berth, the terminal building and its facilities commenced into operation |
| Jan 2014 | Completion of the second cruise berth |
| Aug 2014 | Completion of site formation works |
| Sept 2014 | Sapphire Princess and Royal Carribbean International loaded with 5,600 passengers docked at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal |
Source: CEDD
Facts
| Cruise Terminal | |
| Number of Berths | 2 |
| Length of Apron Area | 850 m |
| Water Depth | 12 metres to 13 metres (for dredging) |
| Air Draft Restriction | Nil |
| Custom, Immigration and Health Quarantine Operation | To clear 3 000 passengers per hour |
| Cruise Vessel that can berth at Cruise Terminal | |
| Displacement Tonnage | 110,000 |
| Gross Tonnage | 220,000 |
| Length Overall | 360 metres |
| Cruise Terminal Building | |
| Storey | 3 |
| Gross floor area | 177,000 sq.m. |
| Facilities | 23,000 sq.m Rooftop garden 5,600 sq.m commercial area 5 passenger gangways for various kinds of cruise passengers |
Source：Tourism Commission, CEDD and ASD
Side Story: Preserving Hong Kong History
Remnants of the Lung Tsun Stone Bridge from the 19th century were unearthed during the Environmental Impact Assessment for Kai Tak Development. In 2008, archaeologists discovered remnants of the original Lung Tsun Stone Bridge, Pavilion for Greeting Officials, former Kowloon City Pier, and segments of the 1924 and 1930s seawalls. The heritage assessment classified sections of the original stone bridge and the Pavilion as high significance, and recommended in-situ preservation.
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Source: CEDD
