English 
Spanish 
4 min read
1 comments
Floating airport begins to sink in Japan and scares the global market. Understand what is happening with Japan's floating airport and what engineers are having to face.
Japan’s Kansai International Airport is a true feat of engineering, and it’s just turned 30. Among its incredible achievements is being Japan’s first floating airport built on an artificial island in the ocean, as well as having the longest terminal in the world and a zero lost baggage rate. But behind this success lies a major challenge: the floating airport is starting to sink.
Understand why the floating airport is starting to sink
The floating airport is starting to sink, but even with this problem, a billion-dollar renovation is underway to expand its capacity and ensure its vital role as a Regional hub. Since its conception, Japan's floating airport has faced one of the greatest geological challenges for a construction of this size: the sinking of the artificial island on which it was built.
Although engineers knew that soil compaction would occur, the initially predicted subsidence rates were underestimated. As a result, the floating airport began to sink much more rapidly than expected, raising concerns not only about the stability of the structure, but also about the safety of operations.
- Brazilian Air Force reinforces sovereignty with billion-dollar investments in fighter jets, cargo planes and helicopters in 2025
- Ship Graveyard: The shocking Chittagong shipyard where giants of the SEAS are dismantled with human and environmental risks
- Maximum alert! After the collapse of the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, 40 federal bridges in critical condition could collapse in the coming years, according to an alarming report by the Public Prosecutor's Office
- Discover the history of orichalcum, the precious metal of the ancient world that shone in antiquity and still challenges archaeologists with its mysterious secrets!
This phenomenon, known as subsidence, occurs due to the compaction of underlying soil layers that cannot support the massive weight of the infrastructure. Over the years, The floating airport has already sunk approximately 13 meters since its inauguration.
This constant subsidence requires continuous monitoring and periodic structural adaptations, which naturally increases maintenance costs and increases the level of complexity of infrastructure management. The impact of subsidence is not limited to the need for constant repairs and directly affects the terminals' runways and even the drainage system.
Understand the importance of the project for Japan
Kansai Airport is not only a transportation infrastructure but also a crucial economic engine for the region. Osaka and for Japan as a whole. Since its opening, the airport has become one of the main logistics and transport hubs in Asia, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers between Japan and the rest of the world.
Thanks to its strategic location, Kansai contributes significantly to international trade and is also an important hub for tourism. The business and connectivity provided by the airport has boosted economic growth in the region, attracting investment and promoting job creation.
The tourism, hospitality, trade and logistics sectors have benefited greatly from the presence of the airport. The latest data indicates that the airport handles millions of tons of cargo annually, playing a vital role in the transportation of high-quality products. tech, automotive components and other manufactured goods that are essential to the Japanese economy.
Japan's floating airport begins projects to secure its future
Given its unique positioning on an artificial island, Kansai faces significant environmental challenges. The floating airport, which already deals with the ongoing problem of sinking, also needs to address sustainability issues involving energy consumption, environmental impact and adaptation to climate change.
In a world increasingly concerned about its carbon footprint, airports play an important role in finding a balance between operational efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Kansai Airport has already begun taking steps to reduce its environmental impact and make its operations more sustainable. These initiatives include efficient energy use, water recycling and the implementation of more sustainable building technologies. One of the key initiatives implemented at Kansai Airport is the use of solar energy to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources and consequently reduce carbon emissions.
The Japanese have to learn from the Chinese, not compete with them. There's the result.