The Femern Belt Link is one of Europe’s largest construction projects to be undertaken. The tunnel is an 18-kilometer-long immersed tunnel, which will connect Rødbyhavn on Lolland in Denmark with the island of Fehmarn in Germany.
Apart from the immersed tunnel, the Femern Belt Link comprises of land facilities on both the Danish and German sides. The railway is being upgraded to electric rails on both sides of the Femern Belt and is constructed to allow speeds of up to 200 kms per hour. When the tunnel is completed, it will be possible to travel between Hamburg and Copenhagen by train in less than 3 hours.
The connection is financed by its end-users in the same way that the bridges of Storebælt (between Zealand and Fynen) and Øresund (between Denmark and Sweden) have been financed. The project will have a return of investment of 28 years, including the investments to the rail infrastructure between Ringsted and Rødby, which is also financed via income generated by the tunnel link.
The Femern Link in figures:
- The working harbour is 500.000 m2 in size with a depth of 10,3 m. The docks will receive up to 80.000 tons of sand, stone, cement and steel per week during the construction phase.
- The tunnel factory, where the elements are to be cast is approximately 1 million m2.
- The total area of the building site at Rødbyhavn is equal to approximately 300 football pitches.
- During the construction, approximately 15 million m3 of sand and earth will be excavated from the seabed.
- The landfill material from the seabed will create 300 ha. for new nature and leisure areas, which is equal to about 450 football pitches.
- 2,2 million tons of granite stone has been used to establish the new piers.
- The construction of the Femern Belt tunnel will require 360.000 tons reinforced steel and 3,2 million m3 cement. Just for the cement casting alone, 2 million m3 sand is required.
- The tunnel has a 2-lane motorway in both directions and 2 electric railway tracks.
- The tunnel is made up of 79 single standard elements and 10 smaller special elements with lower levels for equipment for the running and maintenance of the tunnel.
- One standard element weighs 73.000 tons and is 217m. long, 42m. wide and 10m. high.
- The construction budget for the tunnel is DKK52,6 billion – including a buffer of DKK7 million.
- The EU-commission has allocated DKK6 billion in design and construction funds.
- The Femern Belt tunnel is expected to be completed in 2029.
- It will take 10 min. to drive through the tunnel by car and 7 min. by rail.
- The maximum speed limit will be 110 km/h for cars and 200 km/h for the electric train.
(Source: Femern A/S)