en.Wedoany.com Reported - The East Jeddah Sewerage Tunnel project, under Saudi Arabia's National Water Company (NWC), recently completed its first drive. This project is a main sewage trunk line connecting East Haramain Road to Airport Pumping Station 2, with a total length of approximately 14 kilometers.

Two Herrenknecht earth pressure balance tunnel boring machines (EPB TBMs), each with a diameter of 4.12 meters, are responsible for the excavation work. After traversing various complex strata including diorite, granodiorite, gneiss, and coral limestone, the two machines have completed a combined 7.83 kilometers of tunnel excavation, accounting for 65% of the total tunneling distance.

The contractor, Thrustboring Construction Company (TCC), adopted a dual-head excavation plan, advancing simultaneously from a single central shaft toward both the north and south to maximize construction efficiency. TCC stated that despite the complex geological conditions, the northbound TBM has demonstrated excellent reliability, with excavation progress exceeding 70%. The production progress of precast concrete segments (6 pieces per ring) used for tunnel lining has reached 85%. TCC employs steam curing technology to accelerate the segment production cycle, ensuring all segments are delivered to the site ahead of schedule, eliminating supply chain risks for the lining process.

According to previous reports, this project is one of 15 sanitation projects implemented by Saudi Arabia's National Water Company in Jeddah, with a total investment exceeding 774 million Saudi Riyals (approximately $206 million). It utilizes advanced tunnel construction techniques to minimize ground traffic disruption. Upon completion, the project will significantly enhance sewage collection and conveyance capacity in eastern Jeddah.

The successful completion of this first drive marks a phased breakthrough for this critical infrastructure project, laying a solid foundation for the full line connection.