Skip to main content

Femern opts for immersed tunnel for the Fehmarn Belt link

The company behind the proposed Fehmarn Belt link crossing the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Germany will create the link with an immersed tunnel, despite a new environmental survey showing that a drilled tunnel would be more environment-friendly.
September 18, 2013 Read time: 1 min
The company behind the proposed Fehmarn Belt link crossing the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Germany will create the link with an immersed tunnel, despite a new environmental survey showing that a drilled tunnel would be more environment-friendly.

4782 Femern say the survey shows that neither an immersed or drilled tunnel would have environmental consequences prohibiting approval in Denmark or Germany.

The immersed tunnel is also estimated to be €1.3 billion (DKK 9.7 billion) cheaper than a drilled tunnel.

Construction of the Fehmarn Belt link is due to begin in 2015, with completion earmarked for 2021. Crossing the Fehmarn Belt in the Baltic Sea, the 18km wide link will connect the German island of Fehmarn with the Danish island of Lolland.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Denmark concerned over rising cost of Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link
    February 19, 2015
    The Danish government is in talks with contractors over the latest rise in cost estimates for the proposed prestigious Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link between Denmark and Germany. Contractors have estimated an extra €295.5 million will be needed. This is in addition to a statement last November by the contracting company Femern saying that costs had risen nearly €900 million. The total rise price hike is nearly €1.2 billion. This puts the final cost of the 18km tunnel including two railway tunnels, two motorway tun
  • German government to adhere to Fehmarn Belt tunnel plans
    April 30, 2015
    Germany is to adhere to plans for a tunnel between Fehmarn, Germany, and Lolland, Denmark despite criticism over the cost and a delayed schedule. Denmark alone is likely to foot the €7.4 billion bill for the prestigious Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link immersed tunnel while Germany will pay for only access roads and other connections on its territory. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, said her government and transport authorities will respond to more than 3,000 objections over the construction of the tunne
  • Progress for planned Denmark-Germany immersed tunnel
    October 30, 2013
    A Danish company, Femern, is submitting documents for the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, an immersed tunnel that will connect Germany with Denmark. The project is expected to cost in the order of €5.5 billion to construct. An 18km immersed tunnel will link the islands of Fehmarn and Lolland. Fehmarn Island is already connected with Northern Germany’s mainland by a bridge, while Lolland is already connected by a tunnel and bridges with Zealand, a link that runs via the island of Falster
  • Danish-German Fehmarn Belt road and rail tunnel hits funding snag
    July 9, 2015
    A Danish newspaper has learned of a significant European Union funding gap for one of Europe’s most ambitious transportation road and rail projects. The Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link would connect the German island of Fehmarn with the Danish island of Lolland. A submersed tunnel will cross the 18km-wide Fehmarn Belt, or Fehmarn Strait, in the Baltic Sea. Last February news emerged that contractors had revamped their cost estimates, adding nearly €1.2 billion to the project. This put the final cost of the 18