Europe is ready to welcome the world’s longest underwater highway and rail tunnel. Right here’s the way it’s being constructed.
An 18-kilometre tunnel will quickly hyperlink southern Denmark with northern Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
When it opens in 2029, the formidable immersed highway and rail hyperlink would be the longest of its form worldwide, slashing journey occasions for vacationers and commuters between the 2 international locations.
As development will get underway, Euronews Journey speaks with the crew behind the Fehmarnbelt tunnel to seek out out extra.
How will the Fehmarnbelt tunnel profit travellers?
At present, travelling between the Danish island of Lolland and the German isle of Fehmarn entails a 45-minute ferry journey.
Connecting Rødbyhavn on the Danish facet with Puttgarden on the German facet, the Fehmarnbelt tunnel guarantees to chop this journey to 10 minutes by automobile and simply seven minutes by prepare.
“For commuters, it means a sooner and extra dependable connection between Denmark and Germany, considerably decreasing journey time and making day by day commutes rather more handy,” Denise Juchem, a spokesperson from Femern A/S – the Danish firm making ready the mission – tells Euronews Journey. It is going to additionally cut back congestion on current highway and rail routes.
For vacationers, the tunnel will make it simpler to discover each international locations, they add.
Connecting with onward journey north to Copenhagen by way of the Danish island of Zealand, “the Fehmarnbelt tunnel will revolutionise journey between Scandinavia and Central Europe by offering a sooner, extra dependable and direct connection.”
The tunnel’s highway may also hook up with Germany’s motorway community for handy entry by automobile.
Why was an underwater tunnel chosen to attach Denmark and Germany?
A number of choices had been explored, together with a bridge and a bored tunnel – working by the earth – earlier than selecting an underwater tunnel to attach the 2 international locations.
“In the end, the 18-kilometre immersed tunnel was deemed the most effective resolution resulting from its decrease environmental affect, diminished sensitivity to climate situations, and cost-effectiveness,” Juchem explains.
The tunnel should adhere to strict environmental requirements, making certain minimal affect on native ecosystems and biodiversity. That is being monitored by specialised ships. Pure landscapes unavoidably affected by the mission can be offset by the creation of recent pure areas elsewhere – on Lolland, these can be at the very least double the scale.
The mission is anticipated to price 55.1 billion kroner (€4.8 billion). The EU has granted round €1.1 billion for its development, whereas related railway services have enter €117 million.
In the end, it will likely be user-financed with income from tolls and tickets used to repay remaining loans. This can be a comparable mannequin to the profitable Øresund hyperlink, a bridge and immersed tunnel connecting Denmark and Sweden.
The price of utilizing the Fehmarnbelt tunnel can be determined by Denmark’s Transport Minister within the lead-up to its opening.
How is the immersed tunnel being constructed?
“The design of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel was a posh course of that required in depth planning,” says Markus Simply, Tunnel Design High quality Supervisor at Femern A/S.
One of many largest challenges was determining the best way to transport the large, heavy tunnel components from the manufacturing unit to the immersion web site.
“We determined to construct basins in entrance of every of the three manufacturing unit halls in order that the tunnel components may float up like in a lock and be transported to the work harbour,” explains Simply.
Specifically designed marine tools and work vessels are then used to move and decrease the weather into place in a watertight method.
“The system makes it doable to decrease and join the tunnel components for the world’s longest immersed tunnel with an accuracy of just some millimetres,” says Simply.
One of many mission’s largest technical improvements, nevertheless, focuses on security and upkeep.
“The Fehmarnbelt tunnel would be the first immersed tunnel worldwide with basements,” Simply reveals. Positioned each two kilometres and linked by tubes, these deeper and wider segments will permit house for service autos in order that upkeep personnel can entry areas inside the tunnel safely and swiftly, enhancing the supply of visitors.
What security measures can be in place for individuals utilizing the tunnel?
In addition to constructing in quick access for upkeep and operations employees, the tunnel will function numerous components to make it “simply as secure to make use of as equal routes on land”, in keeping with Juchem.
Drawing on expertise from different main tunnel tasks, together with the Øresund hyperlink, it would function full emergency lanes in each instructions of the motorway inside the tunnel, with autos driving in separate tubes per course. It will permit autos to tug over in case of breakdowns or emergencies.
The well-lit tunnel may also be geared up with emergency exits all through its size, offering secure escape routes in case of incidents.
An area management centre and a prepare visitors management centre in Copenhagen will monitor the tunnel across the clock making certain a quick response to any points.
How will the Fehmarnbelt tunnel make journey extra sustainable?
It’s hoped the tunnel will promote a shift from highway to prepare transport.
“This shift is anticipated to scale back CO2 emissions considerably, as rail transport is extra environment friendly and fewer polluting in comparison with highway transport,” says Juchem.
Environmental teams have welcomed this information.
“We see the Fehmarnbelt hyperlink as a vital mission so far as the local weather is anxious,” says Michael Løvendal Kruse, a consultant of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation NGO. “It is going to strengthen the transport of freight and passengers by the use of probably the most climate-friendly transport presently in existence, i.e. electrical trains.”
The tunnel may also create a extra direct route for worldwide trains and vehicles, “saving roughly 160 kilometres of journey and thereby decreasing gas consumption and emissions”, Juchem provides.
“By establishing a totally electrified rail hall, the tunnel helps using inexperienced vitality and sustainable transport options, additional integrating Europe’s transport community and selling a greener future.”
