An artist’s illustration of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel entrance on the Denmark side (Image: Femern A/S)
A £6.4bn tunnel connecting Scandinavia and central Europe will break two world records when it’s built in 2029.
The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will cut through the Baltic Sea, at a lowest depth of 130ft, connecting Puttgarden, Germany and Rødbyhavn, Denmark.
The 11-mile passage will be the world’s longest road and rail tunnel, as well as the planet’s longest immersed tunnel when it opens.
The tunnel will be made of 89 standard concrete elements, each of which will be 712ft in length.
The latest images of construction at the Puttgarden entrance (Image: Femern / AS)
Each element will have two spaces for cars, two more for trains, and one more for service access. When finished, each element will be fitted into a trench 39ft deep.
The tunnel will allow rail passengers to get from one side to the other in just seven minutes. Road passengers can cross in 10 minutes.
As it stands, the crossing takes 45 minutes to make by ferry, which is the only option.
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A close-up illustration of an entrance to the tunnel (Image: Femern A/S)
However, the project has not been without controversy. On Monday, April 29, 2024, a 41-year-old Polish construction worker was killed in an accident on the German side of the tunnel. The man was struck with an excavator shovel and suffered a fatal head injury.
“Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased during this difficult time. The safety of our workers is of utmost importance during the construction of the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel. We will await the findings of the authorities’ investigation and any potential recommendations,” said Henrik Vincentsen, CEO of Femern A/S, the construction company behind the project.
There have also been environmental complaints. In an interview with , Hendrick Kerlen, a local campaigner, said “the ecology of the Fehmarn belt is very diverse. The clouding of the Fehmarn belt will reduce the growth of macrophytes and plankton and will of course have repercussions for all living fauna and marine flora.”