A renowned airport known for setting records globally is at risk of being submerged by the ocean in the next century. Kansai International Airport, situated on one of two man-made islands in Japan’s Osaka Bay, was constructed on a seabed primarily consisting of alluvial clay, a flexible material that engineers expected to compress gradually over time.
Initially opened to passengers 32 years ago in 1994, experts had projected a subsidence of around 13 feet over 50 years, but the actual drop has been a significant 42 feet. Despite this sinking issue, the airport has been handling a growing amount of air traffic, with 169,774 take-offs and landings in 2024 and 25.9 million travelers passing through.
Yukako Handa, the former communications director of Kansai Airports, discussed the discrepancy in subsidence levels, stating that the initial soil reclamation was based on estimated subsidence over 50 years post-construction. Despite efforts to combat the sinking by installing sand drains, the airport continued to sink at a faster rate than predicted.
To address the sinking problem, an additional £112 million was invested in reinforcing the seawall around the airport, helping to slow down the rate of subsidence. Current projections suggest that if the sinking persists, the airport could be below sea level by 2056, making it vulnerable to storms and seismic activity.
Despite the challenges, Kansai International Airport has received recognition for maintaining a perfect record of not losing any luggage in its three decades of operation. This achievement has led to numerous awards, including being named the ‘World’s Best Airport for Baggage Delivery’ at the esteemed Skytrax World Airport Awards.
