Mersey Gateway welcomes delegation from Shanghai Construction Group on UK construction innovation fact-finding tour
Hosted by the Institution of Civil Engineers, the delegation of nine Chinese engineers and leading academics visited the Project as part of a fact-finding mission to the UK – seeking to draw on British innovation and to look at the prospect of investing in construction projects in the UK.
Shanghai delegation on Mersey Gateway Project site
The group travelled to Liverpool via London, where they investigated BIM (building information modelling) and visited projects such as Crossrail and the Olympic Park. Their visit culminated in a trip onto the Project site where they observed the progress of the movable scaffolding system (MSS) and the bridge pylons.
The Shanghai Construction Group is a major company in China with broad experience in the construction of high-rise buildings, large bridges, light railways, public culture and sport facilities and large industrial plants, as well as handling major environmental protection projects. Responsible for many of Shanghai’s construction landmarks, the group are expanding into international markets and they have delivered over 100 major projects in more than 30 countries.
The delegation included academics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and was led by Mr Jian Gong, Chief Engineer of Shanghai Construction Group (SGC).
Darrell Matthews, North West Regional Director of the Institution of Civil Engineers, commented,
“This was a really important visit. Chinese companies have delivered massive urban development in China over the past 20 years, now they’re looking to international markets for future growth. They’re looking to draw on western and British expertise when it comes to advanced construction methods, building information modelling, and how we manage risks and protect the environment during construction projects.”
Paul Fenwick, Construction Director at the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board said,
“The Mersey Gateway is truly an international project and we have been honoured to have been visited by engineers and academics from across the world to learn from and share expertise. It was a particular delight to welcome the delegation from China as part of their visit hosted by the Institution of Civil Engineers”
