Tenders to be issued in December for world’s longest immersed rail/road tunnel

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The organisation leading the construction of the world’s longest immersed rail and road tunnel between Germany and Denmark have confirmed plans to launch two major tenders by the end of the year.

The Fehmarnbelt fixed link is a planned 19 kilometre-long tunnel which will link the German island of Fehmarn with the Danish island of Lolland and significantly cut journey times between Scandinavia and central Europe.

Bidding will open for two turnkey contracts will begin in December, covering electrical and mechanical installations and the construction of a new substation east of Rødbyhavn in Denmark.

The fixed link, which is due to open in 2021, will reduce the current journey time by ferry from 45 minutes to seven minutes by rail. It will also in turn cut the journey time between Hamburg and Copenhagen from four-and-a-half hours to just three.

Freight trains will also benefit. The new tunnel will allow them to avoid a 160 km detour that is currently the only route between the two countries.

Femern A/S’ technical director Steen Lykke said: “The majority of installations are based on known and well-proven technology but the solutions that we are after place great demands on innovation and energy efficiency.

“The technical systems are of major importance to the operating economics. In addition, the contracts are part of the overall construction process for the world’s longest immersed tunnel. This places great demands on planning and the contractors’ ability to coordinate and integrate the many complex systems and disciplines, which include the user interface for the crew that will later monitor traffic flow in the control centres for both road and rail.”

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