CONSTRUCTION of the city's Oriental Fisherman's Wharf started yesterday in Yangpu District.

The wharf, featuring a cluster of entertainment and commercial outlets and office space, will open to visitors in May 2010 during World Expo.

Flanked by Yangshupu area in the north and Huangpu River in the south, the project covers 15 hectares.

Project managers said it was the first public facility construction project along the 15.5-kilometer riverbank in Yangpu.

Construction of the wharf's two main fish-shaped buildings also started yesterday.

Shanghai evolved from a small fishing village about 1,500 years ago. The short name of Shanghai is "Hu," which means an ancient fishing tool in Chinese.

"As Shanghai embraces deep-rooted fisheries culture, the project's architecture is designed to reflect the importance of fishing industry in the city's history," said Hong Genyun, general manager of the Shanghai Oriental Fisherman's Wharf Investment & Development Co Ltd, the project conductor.

The 179-meter-high leaping fish structure will have 37 stories for office space and a five-star hotel.

The other building will be 42-meters tall and built on a waterfront area of 200 meters along the Huangpu. It will house entertainment facilities, a five-star hotel and a fisheries museum.

The "fish's mouth" will face the Huangpu and be a sightseeing platform for tourists.

The fisherman's wharf will be maintained as a port for sightseeing and a public green belt is planned for the waterfront.

Two ferry terminals are also planned for the wharf.

When the wharf is fully operational, modern river buses will appear alongside historic ferries.

Hong said the wharf was expected to become a major tourist attraction for visitors to World Expo 2010 and another major landmark of the city.