Macau: An Encouraging Engineering and Construction Market

Macau is experiencing another five to ten year construction boom. The city is transforming from a gambling mecca into a booming international tourist destination for leisure and business activities. A number of heavy infrastructure, housing and urban redevelopment projects are also underway.

18 Hotels Under Construction
According to the statistics released by the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT), there were 18 hotel projects under construction in the second quarter of this year. Within these 18 projects, nine of them were in the Macau Peninsula, five in Cotai, three in Taipa and one in Coloane.

Based on the information provided by the different developers, DSSOPT estimates that the projects are likely to provide 9,800 hotel rooms after completion with 7,500 of them being in Cotai and a further 1,000 in Macau.

The total floor area of the 18 projects is amounted to 1.88 million square meters and they will provide more than 9,800 parking spots. Moreover, the authorities are evaluating 28 projects that were estimated to provide almost 15,800 rooms, with 12,000 of them in Cotai

E1 Reclamation Zone Construction Going Ahead In Early 2015
The construction project of E1 Reclamation Zone would begin by the start of next year according to an estimation provided by the GDI and create around 180 jobs.

Situated on the northeast of Taipa, the E1 zone which is between the Friendship Bridge (Taipa side) and the Taipa Ferry Terminal is currently under construction. It is part of the five reclamation land parcels approved by the central government in 2009. Measuring 330,000 square meters, the area will be designed to include public and community facilities, transportation infrastructure, business and residential districts and diversified industries.

The construction project includes dredging of waterways, landfilling and building a dam. GDI estimates that after all bidding procedures are finished; the project can start in the first quarter of 2015. The scheme will take up to 700 days to complete.

Government Plans To Extend Macau Light Rapid Transit To Hengqin Island, In Zhuhai
Construction works to extend the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system into Hengqin Island are due to begin by the end of this year. The plan was given the green light on 16 July by Niu Jing the Director-General of the Administrative Committee of Hengqin New Area.

Macau and Zhuhai have reached an agreement. The LRT may go from Taipa, passing through the underwater tunnel, to reach the Hengqin Island, and then there will be a connection made with the Zhuhai metro. A working group has been assembled in order to discuss and plan this LRT extension, which will come under the coordination of the Public Works department

Last April, 33 Macau-backed projects were recommended to Hengqin authorities for the Guangdong-Macau Cooperation Industrial Park, which spans 4.5 square kilometers. On 16 July, seven of these projects were officiated. Combining for an area of 293.3 square meters, the seven projects represent a total investment of around RMB719 million. 

To conclude, the engineering and construction industry will continue to play a significant role in the economy of Macau. With different heavy infrastructure, housing and urban redevelopment projects, a huge amount of engineering experts are required to join the market. It will also be a great opportunity for these experts to start a bright and new page in their career life.

For more information on Macau or Macau related construction job opportunities, please get in touch with your updated CV.

Rita Chan
Maxim Recruitment Hong Kong