On January 22, the cutterhead of China’s independently developed large-diameter shield machine, "Jianghai," was successfully lowered into the shaft and precisely connected to the main drive at the construction site on the Haimen side of the Haitai Yangtze River Tunnel in Jiangsu. This milestone, achieved through the collaboration of CRCHI, China Railway 14th Bureau, Jiangsu Provincial Transportation Engineering Construction Bureau, and China Railway Fourth Survey and Design Institute, marks the near-completion of the major component assembly of China's large-diameter shield machine. The project is now entering the launch and commissioning phase.

As the world's longest highway underwater shield tunnel, the Haitai Yangtze River Tunnel is scheduled for basic completion by 2028. Once operational, it will effectively divert traffic from the Sutong Yangtze River Bridge, playing a crucial role in supporting national development strategies such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the integration of the Yangtze River Delta. Additionally, it will optimize the cross-river passage layout along the Yangtze trunk line and promote cross-river integration of urban clusters.

To address project construction risks and challenges, CRCHI has adopted targeted designs for the cutter tools of "Jianghai." The machine is equipped with a soft soil cutterhead featuring atmospheric pressure tool replacement capabilities and high-hardness, wide-coverage, wear-resistant cutting tools. The integration of embedded diamonds significantly enhances tool durability and extends service life.

By increasing the cutterhead's opening ratio and incorporating a high-pressure, high-flow central flushing system, along with a cutterhead mud cake formation warning system and telescopic camera devices, real-time observation of the cutterhead work area is possible without personnel entering under pressure. This effectively mitigates mud cake formation risks and enhances overall slag removal efficiency.

On January 1, 2025, the "Top Ten National Heavy Equipment of 2024" awards were announced, with "Jianghai" listed alongside China's first deep-sea drilling ship "Dream" and the country's largest quantum computing cluster "Tianyuan." This marks another major achievement for CRCHI, following the inclusion of its independently developed super-large vertical shaft boring machine "Dream" in the prestigious lineup.