THE world’s first ever tunnel for ships is set to be built on the treacherous coastline of Norway in a game-changing move for vessels.
The Stad tunnel will be blasted through a mile of rock at a cost of about £260million to let commercial vessels through.
For decades, the turbulent waters of the Stad Peninsula have claimed the lives of dozens of sailors.
In the past, desperate seafarers even carried their boats on land using timber logs to avoid the dangerous waters.
But with commercial vessels becoming larger and heavier, that hasn’t been an option.
The Stadhavet sea is home to rough tides and unpredictable weather, making vessels wait out on the harbour for days until they get a green light to sail.
This has made travelling slower and transporting of goods less efficient – potentially impacting the trade.
Terje Andreassen from the Norwegian Coastal Administration tells CNN Travel: “The coastline outside that peninsula is the most stormy area in Norway, with the hurricanes.
“You get a lot of strange currents here.”
The first idea to create a safe passage through the hazardous barrier of the Norwegian coastline was born some 150 years ago.
But things didn’t start moving forward until 2013 when the concept of the Stad tunnel that can fit large vessels was developed.
It took another eight years for the project to be green-lit by the Norwegian government.
The new tunnel will stretch a mile long and 118-feet wide, allowing cargo and passenger ships to pass through safely.
Ships might access the tunnel from the north in Selje, with southern access via the Moldefjord – where the Stad Peninsula is at its narrowest.
The entry to the underground passage will be controlled by traffic lights.
But to avoid any clashes, ships will be given time slots by the Vessel Traffic Control – just like planes that land at airports.
They would also have to follow a speed limit of five knots, or 5.8 mph – which means five ships an hour can pass through the tunnel.
The only exception is speedboats that can cruise at 8 knots, allowing them to cross in about ten minutes.
To burrow a path through the mountain, about 3 million cubic metres of rock will need to be blasted and removed.
The construction of the project was due to commence in 2022, but has been halted when the government realised it would cost more than expected.
As the government looks for ways to finance the tunnel, the Norwegian Coastal Administration continues to prepare for works to begin.
The exact date of the construction is still unknown but it is predicted to begin in 2025.
An estimated four to six years will pass before the project can be completed.
If things sail smoothly, the Stad tunnel will be open and operational by 2030.
Andreassen says once the tunnel is complete, the safe and “predictable” journeys could lead to high-speed ferry service, improving the region’s commercial and industrial activities.
He says: “It will be connected better, it will be easier to travel.”
