Hong Kong’s Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) could build a new US$1.1bn rail tunnel from the Kwai Chung container port to its existing East Rail line at Tai Wai. The link would form a dedicated freight-only railway to handle container shipments from the former British colony’s port area to mainland China.
KCRC will decide in the next few months whether to go ahead with the port rail line following discussions to see if there is sufficient demand from shipping companies. A study has already shown that the project is technically feasible, given that it would be similar to the Kwai Tsing and Tai Lam tunnels on its West Rail project.
James Blake, KCRC senior director of capital works, said consultants are assessing market demand for the rail service that would run between Kwai Chung and Pinghu in Shenzhen, about 15km from the Hong Kong boundary. Dedicated freight trains would carry containers either from Kwai Chung port to the Pinghu freight consolid-ation centre in Shenzhen or vice versa.
KCRC said the results are encour-aging. If the rail company decides to go ahead with the port rail tunnel, and gets approval from the Hong Kong government, consultants could be invited to bid for the scheme design by the end of 2003.
Contractors will then be invited to bid for design and build contracts for the construction of the tunnel and associated cargo facilities at Kwai Chung. Completion would be expected early 2009.
