56
FEHMARNBELTREPORT
IRNMARCH 2015
The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link inbrief
WHAT:
■
Theworld’s longest immersed road and rail tunnel – 17.6 km
■
Consistingof 89 tunnel elements, each 217m long andweighing 73500 tonnes
WHEN:
■
Constructionworks estimated to start in autumn 2015 andbe completed in 2021
■
Distributionof contracts scheduled tobe announced late spring
■
After the contractor tenders are awarded, supplier bids like that from Fehmarnbelt Solution Services
will alsobe considered
WHERE:
■
LinkingRødbyhavn inDenmark toPuttgarden inGermany
■
Two construction sites on either side of the link. Majority of tunnel elements tobe produced in
purpose-built factory inRødbyhavn, while tunnel portal inPuttgardenwill alsobemajor
construction site
Two of Europe’s leading rental
companies – Ramirent and
Zeppelin – have established a
joing venture hoping towin
the contract to serve one of
Europe’s largest infrastructure
projects, the Fehmarnbelt
Fixed Link. The companies
told
IRN
why this partnership
is so significant.
Apowerfulpartnership
The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is planned to be theworld’s longest immersed road and
rail tunnel a 17.6 km. Images courtesy Fehmarnbelt Solution Services
T
he Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is set to be one
of Europe’s largest and most important
infrastructureprojects, connectingRødbyhavn
in Denmark to Puttgarden in Germanywhen it opens
in2021.
According to Pat Cox, the EU Commission’s
representative and co-ordinator of the TEN-T
(Trans-European Transport Network) Scandinavian-
Mediterranean Corridor, the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link
will not only be a great benefit to Denmark and
Germanybut toall of Europe. Construction starts this
autumn.
Theambitiousproject, with itsconstructionvolume
of €6.2 billion, is a key part of the main European
transport network which runs from Finland through
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Italy to
Malta.
Once completed, it will be the world’s longest
immersed tunnel, closing a gap in the infrastructure
between Scandinavia and continental Europe,
increasing flexibility and accessibility and boosting
European trade.
Femern A/S, part of the state-owned Sund & Bælt
Holding, is tasked with planning and designing the
fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt. The construction
tasks have been divided into four major contracts
– the immersed tunnel, marine works, installations
and portal and ramps – that have been put out to
international tender.
Cross-border collaboration
Nine international consortia have been prequalified
to participate in the bid. Furthermore, numerous
potential suppliers are waiting in the wings to share
in theworkon the tunnel project.
Also twoofEurope’s leadingrentalandconstruction
Fehmarnbelt Solution Services has been set up to operate as
an independent companymanaged by Ulrich Sandner. Images
courtesy Fehmarnbelt Solution Services
