The tunnel element factory, which is under construction in Rødbyhavn, will perhaps produce elements for other projects than the Fehmarn connection. Photo: Femern A / S
In the Danish Parliament, there is broad political agreement to extend the life of the factory that will supply the tunnel pipes to the Fehmarn connection.
Originally, the plan was for the factory to be demolished after the last Fehmarn element is produced.
But now, politicians would like to see the factory continue to produce elements for other projects.
These could be i.e. the new harbor tunnel in Copenhagen, a future Kattegat connection, a new Limfjord connection and/or a fixed connection between Als and Fyn.
Production of elements for future Danish energy islands and supplying foreign infrastructure projects have also been mentioned as possibilities.
Good for employment
The infrastructure agreement, into which a broad selection of parties in the Danish parliament entered in June this year, emphasizes the retention of local jobs on Lolland and an economizing on future infrastructure projects as weighty arguments for preserving the tunnel element factory after the completion of the Fehmarn project.
The state-owned company Sund & Bælt has been given the task of preparing a model for ownership and operation of the factory, which harmonizes with amongst others, EU regulation of free competition.
In principle, the Danish state is not allowed to operate the factory, nor require a contractor to use the tunnel element factory in Rødbyhavn for production. But the state can make the factory available to the contractor on terms so attractive that the contractor will have a hard time to refuse.
”Constructor delivers” model
The former CEO of Femern A/S, Claus F. Baunkjær, currently director of Sund & Bælt Holding A/S, has been given the task of finding a solution.
“We are looking at a model where the next major infrastructure project we put to tender will include a provision concerning use of the factory. We will make the factory available in the same way that FLC (the contractor consortium Femern Link Contractors, ed.) has been able to use it ", says Claus F. Baunkjær to Lolland-Falster’s newspaper, Folketidende.
He calls it a ”Constructor delivers” model.
In the work of finding a model for the future, Sund & Bælt is currently negotiating with amongst others, Fehmarn Link Contractors, who are in the process of building the factory, and who will be in charge of its operation during the construction period of the Fehmarn project, as well as its demolition, according to the original plan.