Norway to build world's first full-scale shipping tunnel between fjords

Norway is set to construct the world's first full-scale shipping tunnel, a massive project designed to bypass the hazardous waters of the Stad peninsula on its western coast. The tunnel will connect the Moldefjorden and Vanylvsfjorden, cutting through the narrowest point of the peninsula.

This ambitious engineering feat will result in a 1.7-kilometer-long tunnel, with total length including access areas exceeding two kilometers. It will measure 36 meters in width and 50 meters in height, with a sailing clearance of 33 meters, potentially allowing even some cruise ships to pass through. Approximately three million cubic meters of solid rock will be excavated for its construction.

Construction is scheduled to commence in early 2027 and is expected to take about five years. Passage through the tunnel is planned to be free for all vessels, with commercial traffic, particularly cruise ships, prioritized for passage times assigned similarly to flight schedules. The transit itself is estimated to take around ten minutes.

Despite the projected benefits, the tunnel's cost is estimated at 10 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately 900 million euros), significantly outweighing the anticipated economic advantages. Initial estimates in 2020 suggested costs would be more than four times the benefits. While costs have risen over 140%, benefits have only increased by about 20%. The project faced near-cancellation due to escalating costs, with the government attempting to halt it twice. However, a political majority in the Storting (parliament) pushed the project forward, with Norwegian company AF Gruppen now responsible for its construction. The tunnel aims to improve maritime safety in an area known for frequent shipwrecks and near-misses, exacerbated by extreme weather conditions featuring over 100 storm days annually and waves reaching up to 30 meters.