World’s first full-scale ship tunnel to be completed in 2026
Norway’s Stad Ship Tunnel project, or the
world’s first full-scale ship tunnel have received a green light to kick off
the preparations for the construction.
The approval came in the allocation letter
from the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications to the Norwegian
Coastal Administration, defining the tasks that are to be initiated.
“Based on the allocation letter, we will now
start the processes of acquisitioning properties in the area where the ship
tunnel will be located, as well as put in place a project organization, prepare
a tender basis and initiate a tender,” Terje Andreassen, the temporary project
manager for the Stad Ship Tunnel at the Norwegian Coastal Administration, said.
The allocation letter requests that the
property acquisition be completed, if possible, during 2021.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications
is now preparing a proposition to the Norwegian Parliament about the project,
which will be presented during the spring.
As informed, NOK 75 million ($ 8.8 million)
in start-up funds has been set-aside in the state budget for 2021. The project
is estimated to cost NOK 2.8 billion (excluding VAT), with a construction
period of three to four years.
The goal is to sign a contractor during 2021,
which will allow construction to start in 2022.
“If everything goes according to plan, the
world’s first full-scale ship tunnel will be completed in 2025/2026,” said
Andreassen.
The project will be the first ship tunnel of
this size in the world. As disclosed earlier, the construction of the tunnel is
to make one of the most challenging and hazardous shipping lanes in Norwegian
waters safer for sea transport.
Specifically, a combination of sea currents
and subsea topography creates particularly complex and unpredictable
navigational conditions in the area.
Very high waves coming from different
directions at the same time can create critical situations, and challenging
conditions mean reduced speed and predictability for shipping through the very
exposed Stadhavet Sea.
IMS