The latest phase of the Tianjin Binhai International Airport Terminal 3 expansion project has taken a significant step forward, with the second batch of airport works now entering the construction tender stage. The total investment for the airport works stands at 18.443 billion yuan, with the second batch carrying a budget of approximately 16.5 billion yuan.

The initial focus is on the terminal area road and bridge construction project, which is scheduled to commence on December 31, 2026, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2030. The 18.443 billion yuan expansion is now moving from planning into specific construction segments.

The project has received official approval and is situated at the existing Tianjin Binhai International Airport site in Dongli District, Tianjin. Funding sources have been fully secured, comprising 5.532 billion yuan from fiscal budget allocations, 7.378 billion yuan from corporate self-raised funds, and 5.533 billion yuan from various special-purpose funds.

The second batch of works encompasses a construction scale of approximately 496,000 square meters, with the core components being a new Terminal 3 and simultaneous expansion of airside landside infrastructure. According to the master plan, the existing east runway and first parallel taxiway will be extended northward by 400 meters, along with the construction of a new second parallel taxiway matching the east runway's length.

The terminal area will see the construction of a 330,000-square-meter Terminal 3, the creation and renovation of 68 aircraft stands, a 38,900-square-meter integrated transfer center, a 49,300-square-meter parking structure, and a 15,800-square-meter comprehensive operations control center and data hub. Supporting utilities, including water supply and drainage, fire protection, power distribution, cooling and heating systems, communications, information technology, stormwater sewage treatment, and gas infrastructure, are all included in this expansion phase.

This is not merely an expansion of a single terminal building; the runway, taxiways, apron, transportation hub, and airport operational support facilities are all being advanced in tandem. The current tender covers the second batch of terminal area road and bridge works for the Tianjin Binhai International Airport Terminal 3 expansion—designated as Section 1.

This section centers on the roads and viaducts in front of Terminal 3. The road components include approach ramps for the upper and lower bridges, ground-level roads beneath both bridges, and the main bridge structure. Where the upper bridge approach road intersects with Metro Line M2, a pile-slab bridge will be constructed to span the existing shield tunnel section. The bridge works involve widening the current upper approach bridge from a three-lane one-way configuration to five lanes, while the existing bridge section beyond Pier 13 will be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the new main viaduct and lower approach bridge in front of Terminal 3.

This section features a bridge area of approximately 11,800 square meters with a maximum span length of 47.53 meters. It also includes ancillary works spanning traffic systems, lighting, stormwater and sewage drainage, water supply, reclaimed water, gas lines, utility pre-burial, and temporary traffic diversion arrangements during construction. The investment for this segment is estimated at 180 million yuan, with construction slated to begin at the end of December this year.

In the context of the overall project scale, the 180 million yuan represents just one construction segment within the 18.443 billion yuan airport expansion. As Terminal 3, aircraft aprons, the runway and taxiway system, the integrated transfer center, and other supporting facilities move forward, numerous additional construction packages will be released in stages.

The construction timeline for this round of airport expansion is notably extended. The terminal area road and bridge works are scheduled to run from December 31, 2026, through to June 30, 2030. Once the roads, viaducts, and traffic arrangements in front of Terminal 3 are mobilized, the conditions will be in place for subsequent terminal area works to proceed.

The 18.4-billion-yuan airport project has moved beyond the preliminary planning stage, with specific construction segments now being progressively initiated. With the terminal area road and bridge works slated to commence at the end of December, the Tianjin Binhai International Airport Terminal 3 expansion will steadily enter a concentrated construction phase over the coming years.