Engineering expertise sets world benchmark (hktdc.com)


	Mott Connell Director Paul Jenkins

	Mott Connell CEO KM Yeung

	The spectacular Tsing Ma Bridge link to Hong Kong International Airport

Tell a Hongkonger that something can't be done, and then watch them do it. Hong Kong's knack of turning challenge into opportunity is nowhere more evident than in its ground breaking infrastructure projects, which have gained global attention for half a century and set new benchmarks in engineering expertise.

Engineering firm Mott Connell, a division of UK Consulting Engineers Mott MacDonald, has been there from the beginning. The UK/Australia joint venture began in 1957 when the firm was invited to consult on Hong Kong's first cross harbour tunnel. It has since participated in key transport projects in the city, including the new Hong Kong International Airport, the North Lantau highway, Prince Edward road Interchange, Tsuen Wan to Shatin route No.5 and a series of bridges including the landmark Tsing Ma Bridge.

Cross harbour marvel

At the time of its construction, Hong Kong's first harbour tunnel was at the forefront of tunnel engineering. The harbour's deep waters made a conventional underground tunnel impractical, so engineers devised an estuarine tube tunnel that would sit on the sea bed. Its 1.84km length was constructed on dry land in concrete segments, sealed at the ends and towed out to sea, where it was sunk into a pre-dredged trench, backfilled, and the water pumped out. It was at the time the longest immersed tube tunnel ever constructed.

Those years were also the start of boom times for Hong Kong's economy. The city's manufacturing industries were in full swing, led by US consumerism. Textiles, electronics, watches and many other low-priced goods stamped "made in Hong Kong" flowed from the city in ever-increasing amounts. Mott Connell Director Paul Jenkins said that even in those early days, strategic thinkers had already seen the potential for building Hong Kong as a hub for China.

The problem was its very limited land space, especially on Hong Kong Island. "Kowloon had far more development potential, and to enable Hong Kong to expand, it needed to get across to Kowloon very quickly, and make it part of the colony," he said.

Model rail system

The cross harbour tunnel was part of that strategy, as were other feats of engineering mastery including the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), a model replicated for urban metros throughout Asia, and still regarded one of the world's finest railways in terms of safety, service and cost efficiency. Even today, Hong Kong's MTR is so far the world's only urban rail system that consistently is able to earn large amounts of profit year after year.

A series of bridges was also soon to be realised – among them the Tsing Ma Bridge, which is the world longest suspension bridge carrying both road and railway traffic. It links with the new Hong Kong International Airport, itself an engineering marvel built on reclaimed land to function as one of the busiest passenger and cargo airports on the world.

"The marvellous thing about Hong Kong is that everyone contributes to the strategic thinking – even engineers get a say," Mr Jenkins said.

Hong Kong engineers then went off around the world using those skills elsewhere, he continued. "Anywhere in the world you will find engineers who worked in Hong Kong in the 70s, 80s and 90s."

Sustainable construction

Today, Hong Kong is taking on the global challenge of sustainable construction. Mr Jenkins says the city's engineers, architects and developers are "leading the world" with their ability to create buildings that are attractive, very usable, and integrated with public transport.

"Environment is the thing of the future, and Hong Kong is going to be very quick at developing green building," he said. "It wasn't the first off the starting blocks, but Hong Kong will be a frontrunner in developing technologies and it has the ability to be a world leader. Again, Hong Kong is very quick at developing ideas and applying skills."

Mott Connell, too, has grown and developed. From that first tunnel consultation and a handful of employees in the beginning, it now has over 450 staff, projects ranging from China to Egypt, Dubai to Malta and Kazakhstan, and an annual turnover exceeding HK$250 million (US$32 million).

Mott Connell CEO KM Yeung said the firm has recently completed the new Hong Kong - Shenzhen border crossing at Lok Ma Chau, and is working on some very exciting projects at the moment. In Hong Kong, its current flagship projects are the Kowloon Southern Link which will link up the East Rail and the West Rail, Tsuen Wan drainage tunnel, cross harbour water and gas mains, and Central Kowloon Route. In mainland China, the firm is working on the Zhengzhou-Xian high speed rail project and many residential projects, and in Macau it is involved in the City of Dreams casino development.

Outstanding infrastructure

Mr Jenkins believes that when the British Government handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, it ensured the city that had the best infrastructure in the world across all sectors, placing it in good stead for a successful future.

Since Handover, the new government has announced a number of major projects which are "starting to excite everyone in Hong Kong," he says. "We see another boom coming up as Hong Kong looks towards its future, making sure it secures that future."