Spanning 34 miles across the Pearl River Delta, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge stands as the world's longest sea crossing, linking the southern Chinese cities of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau. The 55km structure required nine years of construction work at an estimated cost of around £15billion.

Journey times between the three cities have been slashed dramatically, with what was previously an hour-long ferry crossing now reduced to approximately 40 minutes by road. The bridge represents part of a wider strategy to enhance transport connections throughout the Greater Bay Area, a region Beijing is developing into a significant economic hub. Through more direct links between Hong Kong, Macau and cities across Guangdong province, the crossing aims to facilitate increased trade and mobility across the region, reports the Mirror.

Its design encompasses multiple components, including extensive bridge spans, artificial islands and connecting roadways.

The primary section incorporates three navigation channel bridges - Jiuzhou, Jianghai and Qingzhou. These were built to allow large ships to navigate through one of China's busiest shipping corridors.

Engineers faced considerable challenges, including frequent typhoons and a demanding maritime environment.

The bridge utilises single-column piers anchored into the seabed to limit interference with water currents and lessen the effect on native species, including the Chinese white dolphin. The three main bridges feature cable-supported structures, each showcasing a unique tower design.

These were crafted to give the crossing a consistent yet varied appearance, particularly given its visibility from land, sea and air.

The Jiuzhou Bridge retains its original sail-shaped towers following alterations made during the detailed design phase.

Engineering consultancy Arup contributed to numerous aspects of the project, including preliminary design work, artificial island construction and key road and tunnel connections on the Hong Kong and Macau sides.

Additional infrastructure linked to the crossing encompasses border crossing facilities and connections such as the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link, helping to integrate the bridge into the wider transport network.

Since its opening, the bridge has become an essential artery within the region's transport infrastructure, highlighting both the scale of China's ambitious infrastructure goals and the practical necessity for swifter connections between its major cities.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge was originally set to open in late 2016, but officially opened on October 2018 to the public, following an inauguration ceremony led by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The bridge was built using 400,000 tonnes of steel and was designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons.

According to Guangdong News, "The number of northbound trips made by single-plate vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) exceeded 10 million as of May 25, with daily traffic now averaging 11,000 trips."