Construction of Asia's largest aircraft hangar was officially launched at Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Area on Monday, by China Eastern Airlines.

After completion, the hangar will simultaneously be able to accommodate nine wide-body aircraft for maintenance, and will be the biggest of its kind in Asia. As part of China Eastern's international aviation maintenance service platform project, the hangar involves a combined investment of 1.5 billion yuan ($207 million), according to the Shanghai-based carrier.

Situated in Yangshan, Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the project's gross floor area will exceed 110,000 square meters. It will be comprised of three aircraft hangars and facilities of repair, modification and supporting infrastructures.

Due for completion and delivery in the first half of 2026, the project hopes in the future to provide 1.8 million man-hours of aircraft maintenance services annually.

The construction of the project marks the first of seven projects jointly developed by China Eastern and Lin-gang Special Area in an effort to build a new global highland in the aviation industry.

The two parties inked a strategic collaboration agreement in June 2022, according to which more than $ 3 billion of investment will be made to build seven major projects including an Asia-Pacific one-stop aviation logistics hub, an international aviation maintenance service platform, an aviation financial service project, and an Asia-Pacific aviation materials trade and distribution center.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn