By Lynda Myer
Norwegian Public Roads Administration has announced the second of three main contracts for the world’s deepest and longest subsea tunnel.
Construction of the main two-lane Boknafjord Tunnel north with 9.2km length and 10.5m diameter, which is going to have concrete elements in the walls and ceiling;12 technical buildings; six pumping stations as well as some smaller structures in the tunnel; portals; and five sea embankments, are the contents of the E04 contract for Norway’s Rogfast tunnel.
The estimated value of this contract by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration is NOK3.5bn (US$388.6m/€357.2m), while its completion date is planned to be 2029.
Being in the same length and size, these two E03 (which was announced the previous year) and E04 contracts are part of the E39 Rogfast project to replace ferry routes and link the cities of Kristiansand, Stavanger, Haugesund and Bergen on Norway’s south-west coast.
Stretching from Harestad in Randaberg Municipality to the south of Boknafjorden and Laupland in Bokn Municipality to the north of Boknafjorden, Boknafjord subsea twin tunnel with 27km length and 10.5m diameter is the project’s main feature. It also includes a 2.3km motorway and a 3.5km, 10m diameter tunnel linking the island community of Kvitsøy and the main tunnel. The 3.5km E15 Kvitsøy spur tunnel contract, was granted to Norway-based contracting joint venture Hæhre and Risa in August 2021.
Commencing its construction in 2018, the Rogfast project was halted in 2019 because of predicted cost overruns and it is slated to be completed in 2033.
