By Ashley Karen
South Korea’s DL E&C Co. has won a bid for constructing the Namhae-Yeosu Undersea Tunnel via its distinctive design, launching a new four-lane national highway spanning a total distance of 8.09 kilometers, linking Shindeok-dong in Yeosu to Seomyeon in Namhae that would cost $530 million.
The previous construction division of Daelim Industrial stands out among the bidders, having garnered the highest technical score by submitting the concept of a divergence tunnel, which not only contains the primary tunnel route but also includes an additional undersea connection road towards the northern region of Namhae, developing the scope of the project by 5.76 kilometers.
Initially, the project’s primary plan was centered near a unidirectional southbound route, connecting Shindeok-dong in Yeosu to Seosang-ri in Namhae.
Nonetheless, DL E&C, driven by its commitment to regional economic growth and balanced development, submitted a groundbreaking solution by presenting the concept of the divergence tunnel, which intends to link the northwestern region of Namhae, particularly Namsang-ri, to the current infrastructure.
The company’s spokesperson conveyed: “Drawing upon our extensive experience in constructing notable projects such as the Singapore Marina Coastal Expressway and the Sinwol-Yeoui Underground Road (Seoul Jemulpo Tunnel), we have conceptualized divergence tunnel as a means to establish connectivity between the southern and northern regions of Namhae and Yeosu. This visionary design seeks to maximize the benefits of tourism and stimulate regional economic growth concurrently”.
DL E&C harnessed its advanced technology and expertise to make a unique design for the project, employing its proprietary Building Information Modeling (BIM) Tunnel Design Package powered by artificial intelligence-based generative design.
This cutting-edge approach allowed DL E&C to distinguish itself from other competitors and propose an unparalleled vision for the Namhae-Yeosu Undersea Tunnel.
Once completed, which is expected by 2031, DL E&C could witness a dramatic decrease in travel time between Namhae and Yeosu, from the current 1 hour and 30 minutes to just 10 minutes.
