By Lynda Myer
The Factory Acceptance Test of second of two TBMs for Lot 4B of the Palermo-Catania railway completed.
The Changsha facilities of China Railway Construction Heavy Industry (CRCHI) was the station that this TBM was unveiled at and the two TBMs are due to be shipped to Sicily and should arrive in the next two months.
As part of the larger project of upgrading the Palermo-Catania railway line, Lot 4B runs between the New Enna and Dittaino station of the Palermo-Catania railway and it comprises of the construction of 15km of new railway, 8.5km of which will pass through three tunnels, as well as another 2km across five viaducts. Additionally, construction of a train station at Enna and upgrading the one at Dittaino is subset of this contarct.
In October 2022 Webuild and its consortium partner Pizzarotti were granted this €616m contract.
Considering that according to the consortium’s bid, the circular economy is a key feature, it involves reuse of 99% of the earth excavated, the recovery and reuse of rain and industrial water, energy efficiency and the use of solar panels.
Webuild leads the consortium with a 70% stake.
Italy’s National Plan for Recovery and Resilience is slated to fund this contract that commissioned by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana.
