Seven-metre drift on Hong Kong artificial island reclaimed for bridge project is normal, say officials

Parts of a multibillion-dollar artificial island that is a crucial element of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge have moved by up to seven metres.

The Highways Department rejected media reports of a 20-metre drift and said such movements were normal in large-scale reclamation projects.

But it did not state clearly which parts of the construction had moved, nor did it specify whether work would be significantly affected. The department said it would monitor the project and ensure reclamation work, which started in 2011, was carried out safely.

At the centre of the controversy is the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities project, which will provide clearance for goods and passengers. The facilities will be located on an artificial island of about 150 hectares in waters northeast of the airport.

In an article on his website, journalist Howard Winn quoted civil engineers familiar with the matter as saying that a part of the reclamation had moved 20 metres and there had been other movements in various parts of the island of up to seven metres.

The movements were due to a non-dredging seawall construction method being used in Hong Kong for the first time, the department said. It was unlikely that the reclamation would be completed by the end of next year as originally scheduled, it added.

Raymond Chan Kin-sek, a former president of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, said it would be "a big issue" if the entire artificial island moved, but in small parts it was "normal".