The most dangerous shipping route in Norway is the one around the Stad peninsula. Local weather conditions often cause delays and dangerous conditions for those on board. Near the Norwegian peninsula, construction of a remarkably ambitious tunnel for ships was therefore recently launched. The tunnel will cut through the entire peninsula, allowing ships to bypass Norway's most dangerous shipping route.
The City Tunnel will be the world's first tunnel for large, seagoing ships. It will allow them to avoid the treacherous journey through the waters of the Stad peninsula. The height of the tunnel will be 50 metres and its width 36 metres. The total will have a total length of 1.7 km.
3 billion cubic metres of rock
A total of 3 billion cubic metres of rock is expected to be removed. The tunnel will be partly drilled; partly traditional explosives will be used to remove the upper part of the tunnel ceiling first. The entrance and exit of the tunnel will be partially blocked during this period to keep the inside dry during the work. Once the work on the inside of the tunnel is completed, it will be blown open to fill it with water. Renowned architectural firm Snøhetta is responsible for designing the entrance and exit. Once the port opens, an average of 19 ships will pass through per day, with one-way traffic alternating every hour. It has not yet been announced what tonnage the tunnel will allow, but it will at least involve substantial cargo and passenger ships. If all goes according to plan, completion is expected in 2026.
