Since the plan was first reported in the Norwegian newspaper Nordre Bergenhus Amtstidende in 1874, it has actually never been out of the picture. However, it took until 2021 to actually get the plans approved. There will be a shipping tunnel 1,700 metres long, 36 metres wide and 50 metres high to make passage through the Stadhavet Sea, one of the most dangerous straits, safer.
The tunnel makes its way through the mountainous Stadhavet peninsula in northwest Norway. Building this engineering marvel will cost about NOK2.8 billion (€270 million) and take three to four years. The first ships should pass through the tunnel in 2026.
"It is a project that has been planned for decades. So it is very nice to finally be able to start construction in a year's time," says temporary project manager Terje Andreassen of the Norwegian Coastal Administration. "The coastline outside the peninsula is the most stormy area in Norway. You get a lot of strange currents here."
Waiting
"Sometimes ships have to wait for days at the nearest port until weather conditions improve.
But in the tunnel, weather and tides have no influence. Making shipping more efficient also provides opportunities for industrial and commercial activities in the area.
3 million cubic metres of stone
Digging is done via underground drilling rigs and pallet racks. Building the tunnel probably involves removing some buildings - and about three million cubic metres of stone.
Not on foot
The Norwegian Coastal Administration says the tunnel will look most like "a large and long mountain hall". The tunnel is likely to attract the attention of infrastructure enthusiasts from all over the world. The main purpose of the tunnel is to make the crossing through the Stadhavet Sea "safe" and "predictable". It will not be possible to walk through the tunnel on foot. So if you are intrigued, the boat is the only option.
