A beacon of transformations already underway at Jiuzhou Port -- the 320-m (1,050-ft) Zhuhai Jiuzhou Tower with a sightseeing deck on the 65th floor came under construction when ground was broken in Jida on Feb 20.

An express elevator will take visitors to the deck for an unobstructed vista of the city, surrounding islands, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. On the roof will be a helipad for emergency rescues, commercial activities, sightseeing, urban management, and other tasks.

Directly below what will be the new landmark is coming the 18-billion-yuan ($2.7 billion) Jiuzhou Bay complex, which will house flagship stores of world-famous brands, deluxe hotels, top-class office buildings, international apartments, a marine transportation hub, and yacht club. As another key focus, 302 sailing yacht berths are being built in phases with the largest able to accommodate a 40-m vessel.

The combined floor space of all the buildings is to exceed 70 hectares (173 acres), according to Zhuhai Jiuzhou Holdings Group, the main facility owner of the Jiuzhou Port area.

Groundbreaking [Photo by Zhu Xi / Zhuhai Daily] 

Jiuzhou Port Passenger Terminal and the port itself will be restructured into a home port for marine and island tourism.

Also in the works is the Jiuzhou Port International Marine Culture Center. It is to be the first nautical culture-themed complex for social networking in the South China Sea and a venue for yachting and sailing.

In addition, the public area will feature advanced spatial layout and low-carbon environmental protection designs with automated shuttle buses. Performances, lighting shows, and water sports events are scheduled. There will also be a coastal leisure corridor.

On-ground structures and facilities will be put into use from 2021 until the entire project is completed in 2027.

Illustration of Zhuhai Jiuzhou Tower

Rendering of port area [Photos courtesy Zhuhai Daily]