The Chinese mainland has delivered its first direct shipment of construction materials for a land reclamation and expansion project at Macao International Airport, according to customs authorities in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

The vessel, carrying 4,400 tons of manufactured sand, was tracked through the green channel of Wanzai Customs on its way to Macao on Wednesday.

Macao International Airport's expansion is proceeding as planned, with a proposed reclamation area of over 129 hectares. Upon completion, the airport's usable area will increase to 325 hectares.

The first phase of the airport expansion project requires approximately 500,000 cubic meters of crushed stone powder. Following the first shipment of manufactured sand to Macao, the shipping schedule and capacity will continue to expand, according to Zhuhai Weixin International Shipping Co.

In response to customs clearance demands, Wanzai Customs has established a green channel for materials supplied to Macao, which offers services such as appointment-based customs clearance and priority inspections, reducing the time demanded for ships entering and exiting the port during peak periods.

From January to July this year, Wanzai Customs supervised a total of 1,967 shipments of sand and gravel for Hong Kong and Macao, releasing nearly 50 million tons of high-quality construction materials and public supplies directly to the two special administrative regions.