GoKawiilNorway will start building the first full-size ship tunnel in the world next year after the government allocated NOK 8.6bn (£671m) in its budget for the long-delayed project.
The Stad Ship Tunnel project will allow coastal ferries and small passenger ships to bypass the Stad peninsula in Norway’s Vestland county for the first time. The Stad peninsula is considered to be one of the most dangerous and exposed areas along the Norwegian coast for ships, and some 33 maritime deaths have occurred in the area since the Second World War.
Ships also have to contend with storms that occur along the peninsula for roughly 100 days in the average year, frequently forcing them to drop anchor and wait until the weather has cleared. The tunnel will allow them to bypass this and ensure uninterrupted navigation, regardless of the weather above.
Going through the near 2km tunnel rather than sailing all the way around the peninsula will only take 10 minutes at a speed of eight knots, helping to cut total journey lengths in the area by around 56 kilometres.