LEITNER bicable gondola in Hong Kong – major contract for a ropeway of the future

As of 2006 this state-of-the-art system will link the suburb of Tung Chung near Hong Kong’s international airport with the world famous tourist area in Ngong Ping. The upper terminal will be located near a temple which houses one of the biggest Buddha statues of its type in the whole of Asia.
In a twenty-minute ride passengers will travel a distance of 5,787 meters for 428 meters of vertical at a line speed of seven meters per second. Seventeen passengers will be able to ride in comfort in each of the 112 Diamond gondolas, a new and highly comfortable design from the Sigma company, which is a further member of the LEITNER group. The result is an impressive system capacity of 3,500 persons per hour and direction.
The Hong Kong cableway is of great importance for LEITNER, for one thing because it constitutes the biggest single order ever received in the company’s long ropeway engineering history. It is also an exciting reference project, especially in view of the importance the South Tyrolean group attaches to the Asian market as a whole. In addition, the new bicable gondola will serve as a showpiece for a relatively new application for ropeway installations, namely rope-hauled urban transportation systems. For the LEITNER group, this is a challenge with a promising future and a market that is already being developed with high expectations.

Skyrail-ITM, a Cairns-based Australian company, have the official operations management contract for the cableway and themed village tourism project, which will provide Hong Kong with an exciting new experience for domestic and international visitors. 

The project is being developed and financed by the MTR Corporation, who were awarded a 30-year build-operate-transfer franchise in 2002, following a competitive tendering process. 

Speaking at the Hong Kong Ground Breaking Ceremony, which featured a Land Blessing and traditional Lion Dance, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation, Mr CK Chow, said the project would be completed and operational in two years time. 

"The Project will provide a world class attraction, enhancing tourism in Hong Kong, whilst at the same time bringing economic benefit to the people of Hong Kong," Mr Chow said.

Ken Chapman, Chief Executive Officer of Skyrail-ITM, who was also in attendance at the Ground Breaking Ceremony, said the Tung Chung Project was an important contract for Skyrail-ITM and an excellent example of Australia's tourism management export capabilities. 

"We are honoured to have been selected as operator of this internationally significant development, and look forward to working with MTR Corporation to create a new, unique and very special tourism attraction in Hong Kong," Mr Chapman said. 

Visualisation of Terminal

Aerial view of village from the Buddha

Mule Train paves the way

Six Canadian pack mules are providing the method and the means to ensure the most environmentally-friendly techniques are employed during construction. The mules are being utilised in a bid to minimise the development's impact on the North Lantau Country Park's flora and fauna, with their use ensuring no roads or temporary ropeways need to be built in the park to facilitate the cableway's completion.

foundation work

Helicopter during contruction