Cat^® Machines Helping Build World’s Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge

For the inhabitants of Russky Island, near Vladivostokon Russia's Pacific coast, February 2012 will mark a turning point. That's when leaders of the 21 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) nations will turn up there for their 20th annual summit, and their impending visit has led to major infrastructure and construction projects that are set to dramatically improve the islanders' long term future. And of course Cat® machines are there in force.

The U.S. $2.5 billion construction project includes hotels and a conference centre, modernization of Vladivostok airport, highway construction and reconstruction, a theatre for staging opera and ballet productions, and a sea façade including port structures and infrastructure.

Linking Russky Island with Vladivostok will be the new Eastern Bosporus Strait Bridge. When completed it will be the world's longest cable-stayed bridge, with a span of 1,104 meters and an overall length of 3,150 meters. And crucially for the island's 5,000 inhabitants, it will end long periods of enforced isolation caused by winter weather bad enough to disrupt the ferry service - until now the only means of transport to and from the mainland.

Early in 2009, construction company Crocus ZAO was chosen as general contractor for the project. Given an immovable deadline for completion of all work, the company had to move fast. Site clearance, leveling and installation of utilities had to begin even before completion of final design documentation. Consequently dozens of bulldozers, excavators, loaders, graders and large dump trucks had to be delivered to the island at top speed.

It's not surprising, therefore, that general contractor Crocus ZAO turned to local Cat® dealer Amur Machinery.

Commenting on the construction works, Caterpillar CIS Industry sales manager Robert Thiel says: "This project is unique due to the large construction volume in the very limited timeframe. Reliable Cat machines together with world-class product support from Amur Machinery and attractive finance terms from Caterpillar Financial were major drivers for the project. We are proud to be part of this major infrastructure project in Russia."

For the Russky islanders themselves, the benefits will be significant and will last way beyond the conclusion of the 2012 APEC summit. Gone will be the drawbacks of long periods of isolation. In their place will come the benefits of an improved and expanded infrastructure on the island itself, plus greater employment opportunities and the prospects of a better way of life afforded by improved access to schools, hospitals and other services on the nearby mainland.