Jacobs wins Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Machau bridge materials testing contract

US-based Jacobs Engineering late last month announced it was awarded an outsourcing contract from the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to provide management and operating services for the new Public Works Regional Laboratory, Siu Ho Wan. The estimated USD 11M contract starts in June and will chiefly focus on materials compliance testing for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Machau Bridge, which includes a 6km tunnel.

Jacobs' scope of work for the project includes operating the Siu Ho Wan facility and managing its 51 laboratory-based staff for a period of approximately four years. This facility will provide construction materials compliance testing services to support public works projects.

A Jacobs spokesman said “The Civil Engineering and Development Department has been managing and operating their Public Works Laboratories, comprising a central laboratory and five regional laboratories, for many years. An outsourcing contract for the operation and management of one of the regional laboratories in Tai Po was awarded to Jacobs in May 2011. The Siu Ho Wan regional laboratory is a new laboratory.”

Jacobs group vice president Tom Quinn added, "The transition of the Tai Po laboratory from the Civil Engineering and Development Department to Jacobs has proven that such outsourcing can add value to our client's organization. We are pleased to further extend our services in this regard to the new Siu Ho Wan regional laboratory for the benefit of the prestigious Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge projects."

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is a planned 38km bridge in the South China Sea forming a fixed crossing over the Pearl River Estuary between Zhuhai and Macau on the western side and Hong Kong on the eastern side. The 29.6km main section is in Zhuhai waters and comprises 22.8km of bridge work including three cablestayed bridges with spans ranging from 280m to 460m, viaducts spanning 75m and 110m, a 6km tunnel and two artificial islands.