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Fehmarnbelt tunnel to link Denmark and Germany as one of the world's longest underwater tunnels
Summary
The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is an 18-kilometre immersed road and rail tunnel that will connect the Danish island of Lolland with Germany's Fehmarn, with completion scheduled for 2029 and an estimated cost of DKK 55.1 billion and EU support of about €1.3 billion.
Content
The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is an immersed road and rail tunnel being built under the Baltic Sea to connect the Danish island of Lolland with Germany's Fehmarn island. The tunnel will be about 18 kilometres long and is reported to be one of the world's longest immersed tunnels. Construction is ongoing and the project is scheduled for completion in 2029. Femern describes the work as Denmark's largest infrastructure project and says the technology builds on previous Danish tunnel experience.
Key details:
- The tunnel is approximately 18 kilometres (11 miles) long and will provide a fixed road and rail link between Scandinavia and mainland Europe.
- The project budget is reported as DKK 55.1 billion (about £6.4 billion), and the European Union is reported to provide roughly €1.3 billion (about £1.1 billion) in funding.
- The link is being built as an immersed tunnel composed of 89 precast elements that are installed sequentially; each element is reported to weigh about 73,500 tonnes.
- Femern and the Institution of Civil Engineers describe the method as resting the tunnel on the seabed and towing segments into place, and they note the design aims to avoid obstacles to vessel traffic.
- Safety features reported for the tunnel include continuous hard shoulders and emergency exits along its length.
Summary:
The tunnel is expected to shorten travel times by creating a continuous road and rail connection between Scandinavia and mainland Europe. Completion is scheduled for 2029 and construction work continues. The project includes a significant funding contribution reported from the European Union and is described by project officials as drawing on established Danish tunnel technology.
