China builds world’s largest offshore airport on artificial island near Dalian

China is constructing what is expected to become the world’s largest offshore airport on an artificial island near the coastal city of Dalian, highlighting the country’s continued push into large-scale aviation infrastructure development. The project, known as Dalian Jinzhouwan International Airport, is being built in Jinzhou Bay in the Bohai Sea and is expected to be completed by 2035.

According to Zee News, the offshore airport project carries an estimated cost of around $4.3 billion and is being developed on an artificial island covering approximately 20 square kilometres.

The airport is located around 4.5 kilometres off the coast of Dalian in Liaoning province and is intended to replace the existing Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport, which has reached operational and expansion limits after years of growth.

Existing airport faces operational constraints

Officials cited by Zee News said the current airport’s location has increasingly restricted future expansion.

Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport is positioned within a valley surrounded by mountains and dense urban development, leaving little room for additional infrastructure. The airport currently operates with a single runway and faces operational challenges during adverse weather conditions.

The offshore airport is being designed as a long-term solution capable of supporting significantly higher passenger and cargo demand.

Massive land reclamation effort reshapes coastline

The scale of the engineering project is among the largest attempted in global airport infrastructure development.

According to Zee News:

• Around 187 million cubic metres of material have been used for land reclamation
• More than 3,000 deep foundation pillars have been driven into the seabed
• Each pile extends more than 80 metres below the seabed to reach stable rock layers
• Large sections of reclaimed land have been reinforced through deep cement stabilisation

Once completed, the artificial island is expected to exceed the size of both Hong Kong International Airport and Japan’s Kansai International Airport, making it the world’s largest airport built on reclaimed land.

Chief engineer Li Xiang, cited in the report, described the seabed conditions as highly complex and said the project required extensive engineering planning to ensure long-term structural stability.

Airport designed for long-term traffic growth

The planned airport is intended to significantly expand Dalian’s aviation capacity as China prepares for future increases in passenger and cargo traffic.

According to project details reported by Zee News, the completed airport will include:

• Four runways
• Approximately 900,000 square metres of terminal space
• Capacity for around 80 million passengers annually
• Cargo handling capability of roughly 1 million tonnes per year
• Nearly 540,000 aircraft movements annually

The existing Dalian airport currently handles approximately 20 million passengers a year, highlighting the scale of the planned expansion.

Earlier operational phases of the offshore airport are expected to open with lower initial capacity before full completion.

Project timeline extended after delays

Construction on the land reclamation phase began around 2011, though the project later faced delays and temporary pauses after 2016, particularly during landfill operations.

The original completion target was reportedly set for 2018, but technical adjustments, engineering challenges and planning revisions pushed the timeline to 2035.

Despite the setbacks, construction activity has continued across the reclaimed sections of Jinzhou Bay.

Offshore infrastructure aligns with wider aviation strategy

The Dalian airport project forms part of China’s broader strategy to expand aviation infrastructure and support long-term economic growth.

According to previously cited government estimates referenced by Zee News, China may require around 450 airports by 2035 to meet rising passenger demand and trade growth. The country currently operates more than 260 airports.

Dalian also plays a strategic role in regional trade with Japan and South Korea, positioning the new airport as a future logistics and transport hub in northeast Asia.

Plans linked to the airport project also include:

• Logistics parks
• Research and industrial zones
• Rail and highway links connecting the island to the mainland

Environmental and engineering risks remain

Large offshore infrastructure projects continue to face long-term environmental and engineering risks despite advances in construction technology.

Artificial islands can gradually sink over time because of soil compression, a problem previously experienced at Japan’s Kansai Airport. Rising sea levels, coastal storms and extreme weather conditions also present operational risks for large-scale sea-based infrastructure.

Engineers involved in the project said continuous monitoring will be required after completion to maintain structural stability and operational safety over the coming decades.

If completed on schedule, Dalian Jinzhouwan International Airport is expected to become one of the world’s most ambitious aviation infrastructure projects, reshaping how densely populated coastal cities address land shortages and future air traffic growth.