Norway is preparing to build the world’s first full-scale ship tunnel. The Norwegian Coastal Administrations has revealed the visualizations of the tunnel designed by the architecture firm Snøhetta.
The ship tunnel is to be built on the Stadhavet Sea along the northwestern coastline of Norway, which is considered to be the most menacing seas. The tunnel will provide the ships a safer route along the Stad peninsula to avoid the “most dangerous, most exposed” waters of the Stadhavet Sea. The sea currents along the ship’s route are rough, and the waves cause danger to the ship crew along with a massive delay in shipping schedules. The ship tunnel passage is planned to be built along the narrowest region of the Stad Peninsula connecting two fjords on its ends.
The Stad Ship Tunnel project will use the underground drilling rigs and pallet rigs technique to blast solid rocks to measure 1.7 km in length, 26.5 m in width and 37 m in height. Project Manager of the Stad Ship Tunnel project, Terje Andreassen said, “First we will drill horizontally and use explosives to take out the roof part of the tunnel. Then all bolts and anchors to secure the roof rock before applying shotcrete. The rest of the tunnel will be done in the same way as in open mining. Vertical drilling and blasting with explosives down to the level of 12 m (42 ft) below the sea level.”
The Norwegian Parliment will fund the ship tunnel project costing NOK 2.3 billion. The project is currently in feasibility study phase and is planned to begin construction in 2019. It is expected to take three to four years for its completion.
Kystverket, the Norwegian Coastal Administration provided a video brief of the project that will serve the Norwegian tourism and fish industry significantly. The safer route between Bergen and Ålesund will be a comfortable bonus for travellers. In addition, an overhead bridge is proposed that will provide the tourists a beautiful view of the flowing waters.
You might want to add the Stad Ship Tunnel to your list and visit to get a feel of the precise, simple and beautiful engineering design that appears to be the speciality of the Nord architecture.