Stad Ship Tunnel

File:Stad ship tunnel original.jpg

The surrounding waters, known as the Stadhavet Sea, is the most windswept part of the nation's coastline and is stormy around 100 days of the year, leading to ships often waiting days to pass through. Currents, created by the area marking the meeting point of the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea further complicate navigation: Since World War Two ended, 33 deaths have occurred in maritime accidents within the Stadhavet Sea.{{cite news |last=Quirke |first=Joe |date=March 14, 2017 |title=Norway plans "ship tunnel" to avoid the deadly Stadhavet Sea |url=https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/news/norway-plans-ship-tunnel-av7oid-de7adly-stadh7avet/ |work=Global Construction Review |location= |access-date=April 22, 2021}} The official Visit Norway website has claimed Vikings would drag their boats over the peninsula to avoid crossing the dangerous patch of sea.

File:Stad skipstunnel portal.jpg

The first proposal was in an article in Nordre Bergenhus Amtstidende newspaper in {{start date and age|1874|p=y}}, and shortly afterwards an article in the same newspaper proposed a railway tunnel across the peninsula. The latter would have allowed the boats to be raised onto wagons and to be hauled across, and would cost only half as much.

In 2011, a report by Det Norske Veritas and the Institute for Research in Economics and Business Administration for the Norwegian Coastal Administration concluded that a tunnel would not be economical. It looked at two sizes, small and large, which would cost {{NOK|1,264 million and 2,027 million}} respectively. The report concluded that the utility, including saved waiting costs, for shippers have a present value of {{NOK|304 million and 314 million}}, respectively, and {{NOK|67 million and 76 million}} in saved accident costs. A similar report from 2007 concluded that the tunnel would be economical. The Coastal Administration stated that the differences were because of new and better data.

In 2013, the tunnel was included for the first time in the National Transport Plan. {{NOK|1 billion}} was set aside for it in the budget. The tunnel will be {{convert|49|m}} high and {{convert|36|m}} wide, able to handle ships of up to roughly 16,000 gross tonnage, large enough for the Hurtigruten coastal express ships.{{cite web | url=http://maritime-connector.com/news/general/norwegian-government-announced-plans-to-build-world-s-first-tunnel-for-ships/ | title=Norwegian Government announced plans to build world's first tunnel for ships | publisher=Maritime Connector | date=15 April 2013 | accessdate=19 April 2013}} The water will be {{convert|12|m}} deep in the tunnel. The tunnel will reduce journey lengths by {{convert|56|km}}.{{cite news |last=Bousquin |first=Joe |date=March 25, 2021 |title=World's first major ship tunnel project to take bids soon |url=https://www.constructiondive.com/news/worlds-first-major-ship-tunnel-project-to-take-bids-soon/597310/ |work=Construction Dive |location= |access-date=April 22, 2021}}

Two routes were proposed: one {{convert|1800|m}} long from the Eide farm at the inner part of the Moldefjorden through the Mannseidet isthmus to the Kjødspollen (the inner part of the Vanylvsfjorden), the narrowest but innermost place of the peninsula.{{cite news |title=Stad skipstunnel |url=http://www.nrk.no/sf/leksikon/index.php/Stad_skipstunnel |publisher=Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation |language=Norwegian |archivedate=8 December 2011 |url-status=dead |accessdate=20 January 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208204450/http://www.nrk.no/sf/leksikon/index.php/Stad_skipstunnel}} The other option is a slightly longer tunnel from the Skårbø farm to the Fløde farm through the central part of the peninsula.{{cite news |title=Vil droppe Stad-tunnel |url=http://www.tu.no/industri/article274778.ece |last=Steinsvold |first=Tore |date=18 January 2011 |work=Teknisk Ukeblad |language=Norwegian |archivedate=8 December 2011 |url-status=live |accessdate=20 January 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208204450/http://www.nrk.no/sf/leksikon/index.php/Stad_skipstunnel}} The second option has been selected for construction.

Knut Samset, a project management professor with at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, criticised the decision to go ahead, claiming modern vessels could navigate the seas safely and that "cost-benefit analysis is negative".{{cite news |last= |first= |date=May 2, 2017 |title=The Stad Ship Tunnel: a world first |url=https://www.ship-technology.com/features/featurethe-stad-ship-tunnel-a-world-first-5798958/ |work=Ship Technology |location= |access-date=April 22, 2021}}

In March 2021, the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications gave approval for preparations to begin, with the Norwegian Coastal Administration expecting construction to begin in 2022.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/17/snohetta-stad-ship-tunnel-norway-architecture/ |title="World's first full-scale ship tunnel" gets go ahead to be built in Norway|last=Parkes|first=James |date=2021-03-17|work=dezeen.com|access-date=2021-03-23}} Terje Andreassen, temporary project manager, stated that construction was expected to start in 2023{{Cite web|url=https://www.kystverket.no/nyheter/stad-skipstunnel-utsetter-tildeling-av-totalentreprise-til-2023/|title = Stad skipstunnel: Utsetter tildeling av totalentreprise til 2023}} with an estimated completion in 2025 or 2026.{{cite news|url=https://www.kystverket.no/en/News/work-will-now-begin-on-the-stad-ship-tunnel/ |title=Work will now begin on the Stad Ship Tunnel|last=Norwegian Coastal Administration|date=2021-02-21|access-date=2021-04-17}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/news/world-news/2017/04/06/norway-will-build-the-worlds-first-ship-tunnel |title=Norway will build the world's first ship tunnel|last=Olsen|first=Jan |date=2017-04-06|work=Boston.com|access-date=2017-04-11}}{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Tris |date=March 9, 2021 |title=Green Light For Norway's Stad Ship Tunnel |url=https://tunnellingjournal.com/green-light-norways-stad-ship-tunnel/ |work=Tunnelling Journal |location= |access-date=April 22, 2021}} In 2023 a new cost estimate and budget overrun delayed the project.

According to Andreassen, tunnelling through a thick gneiss layer requires a "drill and blast" process, with materials delivered by sea, owing to inadequacy of local roads. A rock wall (or possibly cofferdams) will be used to keep the tunnel free of water during construction.{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Catherine |date=April 19, 2021 |title=Engineering challenges of building the world's first ship tunnel |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/engineering-challenges-of-building-the-worlds-first-ship-tunnel-19-04-2021/ |work=The New Civil Engineer |location= |access-date=April 22, 2021}} Approximately three million cubic metres of rock require removal. The tunnel's entrances have been designed by Norwegian firm Snøhetta, with the rock walls left rough to blend into its surrounding landscape. Snøhetta's designs include walkways and a new road bridge to enhance views of ships passing in and out of the tunnel.{{cite news |last=Hilburg |first=Jonathan |date=March 31, 2021 |title=Work on Snøhetta's "world's first" tunnel for ships will soon begin in Norway |url=https://www.archpaper.com/2021/03/work-on-snohetta-stad-ship-tunnel-approved/ |work=The Architect's Newspaper |location= |access-date=May 8, 2021}}

At an estimated speed limit of eight knots (15 km/h), vessels will take about ten minutes to pass through the tunnel. The tunnel will cater to smaller vessels including coastal ferries and other small passenger ships; most oceangoing cruise ships are too large to fit.{{cite web |title=Norway's Incredible Ship Tunnel Plan Is Back On Track |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2025/01/20/norways-incredible-ship-tunnel-plan-is-back-on-track/ |access-date=January 25, 2025}}

Negotiations for purchases of the land and identification of a principal contractor began in April 2021. After years of silence, the Norwegian Coastal Administration published the tender for the tunnel’s construction, with a pre-qualification deadline set for the end of January 2025.{{cite web |title=The construction of the Stad ship tunnel has been put out to tender |url=https://www.kystverket.no/en/news/2024/the-construction-of-the-stad-ship-tunnel-has-been-put-out-to-tender/ |access-date=January 26, 2025}} In February 2025, the Norwegian Coastal Administration reported that six construction contractors applied for prequalification. Four firms qualified to submit bids, while two Chinese consortia are out of the competition. The first bids will be submitted by June 1 and then evaluated through several rounds of negotiations before the best offer is selected according to the award criteria.{{Cite web |last=Nedregotten |first=Sveinung |date=2025-02-28 |title=Stad ship tunnel: Four contractors have been prequalified {{!}} Kystverket - tar ansvar for sjøveien |url=https://www.kystverket.no/en/news/stad-ship-tunnel-four-contractors-are-prequalified/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.kystverket.no |language=en}}

The aim is to sign the contract in autumn 2025 and start construction in 2026, provided the bids meet the project’s budget. Construction is expected take about five years.

{{commons category|Stad skipstunnel|Stad Ship Tunnel}}

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Category:Canal tunnels

Category:Proposed tunnels in Norway

Category:Stad, Norway

Category:Norwegian Coastal Administration