The construction of the world's largest satellite terminal building has begun at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) on Dec 29, informed Shanghai airport authority.

The PVG laid foundation stone for the construction of the terminal that can handle 38 million passengers annually when it will be completed in 2019.

With 83 departure gates, the third terminal will be divided into terminals S1 and S2 and attached to the south of the current T1 and T2. It will cover a total of 620,000 square meters, even larger than the Terminal 2 building that is 490,000 square meters.

The airport official said that the terminal will have an investment of 20.6 billion yuan, and the four year project will accommodate 89 to 125 airplanes.

He mentioned that it will be the largest detached terminal around the world and also the first satellite terminal in China.

The current terminals have 70 gates – 28 in T1 and 42 in T2 – but they are no longer enough to serve Shanghai's increasing demand for air travel.

Pudong airport is expected to hit 60 million-passenger milestone this year and handle 80 million passengers in 2025. In terms of traffic, the new terminal will make the airport become one of the world's top three, after its completion in 2019.

"Passengers will be able to go the new terminal by taking an underground subway after checking in at the current two terminal buildings," said Li Derun, president of the Shanghai Airport Authority.

And the subway project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Notably, besides the new terminal, the airport is under construction on its fifth runway which will provide a testing ground for the much-anticipated Chinese-made C919 aircraft.

The first such airport to use a satellite terminal was London's Gatwick. Other airports with satellite terminals include Logan International in Boston and Charles de Gaulle International in Paris.

Li Derun, president of Shanghai Airport Authority announced the launch of the construction on the world's largest satellite airport terminal in Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Dec 29.

 

On Dec 29, Zhang Xuebing (L1), party secretary of Shanghai Airport Authority and some labor paragons in the launch ceremony for PVG's construction of the world's largest satellite airport terminal.

 

Jing Yiming, CEO of Shanghai Airport Authority delivers a speech in the launch ceremony for PVG's construction of the world's largest satellite airport terminal, Dec 29.

On Dec 29, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) broke ground for the construction of the world's largest satellite airport terminal that can handle 38 million passengers annually when it is completed in 2019.