en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket) announced on June 26 that it has selected a team comprising Oslo-based design-build contractor AF Gruppen and Sandvika-based engineering consultancy Norconsult for the turnkey contract of the Stad Ship Tunnel. According to AF Gruppen, the contract is estimated to be worth approximately $560 million. This pioneering project is scheduled to begin construction next year and, once completed, will provide a safe shortcut bypassing a dangerous stretch of coast notorious for shipwrecks.
AF Gruppen CEO Amund Toftum stated in a press release that it is rare for a design and construction contractor to have the opportunity to undertake such a unique infrastructure project, which has attracted widespread interest locally, nationally, and internationally. The contractor did not immediately respond to inquiries about the project.
The tunnel is planned to extend approximately 1 mile between the Moldefjord and Kjodepollen. According to the Coastal Administration, the tunnel will be about 165 feet high and 120 feet wide, capable of accommodating vessels with a width of no more than 53 feet and a draft of no more than 40 feet. In addition to the tunnel itself, the contract includes the construction of entrance and diversion structures, handling of excavated rock, channel dredging, and the development of a commercial area near the tunnel entrance.
The contractor will begin detailed design work in collaboration with the Coastal Administration in August. Coastal Administration Director Einar Vik Arset stated in a press release that construction is planned to start in early 2027, with an estimated construction period of about five years. The team led by AF Gruppen beat out two other bidders: Eiffage Génie Civil and the Skanska/Vassbakk & Stol joint venture. Arset stated in the release that it was fortunate to have such high-quality and committed bidders participating in this tender.
The Coastal Administration estimates the total project cost at approximately $870 million. Several other contracts are still out for tender, including one involving the demolition of buildings near the tunnel and another for the installation of water pipes on both sides of the tunnel. The Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) recently approved a revised budget allocating $15 million for the initial phase of the project. Norwegian officials stated that, in addition to improving navigation safety for vessels in the area, the tunnel will significantly reduce travel time, enabling fast passenger ferry services between Bergen and Alesund, while also reducing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
