Tunnelbuilder Promoting the world's tunnelling industry to a huge qualified audience

View the Spanish Tunnelbuilder website View the Italian Tunnelbuilder website

Archive - News

Featured News

Grand Paris Express - TBM Awa ready to start for West section of Line 18

On Wednesday 29 May 2024, the Société des grands projets christened Awa, the latest TBM for Line 18.  In June, Awa will start digging - from the future Guyancourt station - a 6.7 ... More Information

Grand Paris Express – Excavation of Line 16 completed

Grand Paris Express – Excavation of Line 16 completed

After more than four years of work and the use of seven TBMs, the tunnel of Grand Paris Express Line 16 is now fully excavated.  On Monday, 26 February 2024, the TBM Houda reached the Mare au ... More Information

Francia/Grand Paris Express - Major Breakthrough Achieved on Line 6 Tunnels

Francia/Grand Paris Express - Major Breakthrough Achieved on Line 6 Tunnels

On November 6, 2023, a significant milestone was reached as the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) named Houda successfully broke through, marking its entry into the future Sevran - Livry station on Line 6 ... More Information

New breakthrough for TBM Houda

New breakthrough for TBM Houda

On the 29/05/2023 TBM 7, named Houda, broke through at the Becquerel manufact in Sevran, Lot 2, Line 16, as part of the Grand Paris Express route. The contractor consortium is NGE - BTP - Webuild. ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - Updates

Grand Paris Express - Updates

Line 17  - On Monday 14th  November at 5 pm the TBM Dorine - 120 m long and weighing over 1,000 t – brokethrough at Line 17’s Rolland manufact in Le Bourget at a depth of 26 m, ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - July Updates

Grand Paris Express - July Updates

Line18  - Last week the TBM Céline reached the Grande Ceinture manufact for the Grand Paris Express’s Line 18.  A symbolic first step in its underground journey to join ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - TBM Maud installs its first ring for Line 16

Another milestone has been reached on the construction site of line 16, lot 3 in Champs-sur-Marne in Ile-de-France! Last week TBM Maud, named in honor of Maud Tallet, mayor of ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - First breakthrough on Line 18

Grand Paris Express - First breakthrough on Line 18

On 25/04/2022 the TBM Caroline reached the future Antonypole station in the Antony municipality for Line 18, of the Grand Paris Express project. The TBM - launched in December 2021 from the Marechal ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - Final Breakthrough for TBM Armelle

Grand Paris Express - Final Breakthrough for TBM Armelle

TBM Armelle has reached its final destination at the Hugo manufact at Ville du Blanc-Mesnil on Line 16 for Grand Paris Express. The machine, launched from the Braque shaft in Aulnay-Sous-Bois, ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - last TBM on Line 16

Press release - On 30/03/2022 at the construction site near Noisy-Champs station the name of the last TBM for Line 16 was unveiled.  In keeping with tradition, the tunnel boring machine was ... More Information

TBM Mireille breakthrough for the Line16 of the Grand Paris Express

TBM Mireille breakthrough for the Line16 of the Grand Paris Express

On 29/03/2022, TBM 8, christened Mireille, which had left Chelles less than a year ago, reached its first milestone by entering the future Clichy - Montfermeil station on Line 16 of the Grand Paris ... More Information

Grand Paris Express – TBM Dorine almost ready for second departure from the Verdun shaft

Grand Paris Express – TBM Dorine almost ready for second departure from the Verdun shaft

On 30 August 2021, after 6 months of excavation at a depth of 20 m under the municipality of Bourget and the simultaneous installing of the tunnel lining, the TBM Dorine arrived at the Rolland shaft ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - December updates

Grand Paris Express  - December updates

Line 15 South - The excavation of this line involved 10 TBMs, which installed 128,000 segments and 18,500 rings. In 2019 TBM Steffie-Orbival was the first machine to complete its section, followed ... More Information

Breakthrough for TBM Armelle on Line 16

On 24/11/2021 Eiffage Genie Civil celebrated the breakthrough of TBM Armelle in Le Blanc-Mesnile  station, Line 16, Grand Paris Express. Click here for the video, here and fr/127 for tunnel ... More Information

Line 15 South -TBM Laurence reaches the Fort d'Ussy - Vanves - Clamart station

Line 15 South -TBM Laurence reaches the Fort d'Ussy - Vanves - Clamart station

There's a new arrival on Line 15 South of the Grand Paris Express, after Camille in July and Aby last month, TBM Laurence has now completed its drive!   On 11/09/2021 TBM Laurence – ... More Information

Latest News from Grand Paris Express Project

Latest News from Grand Paris Express Project

Line 15 East  - Over night between the 6th and 7th of October, the head of TBM Sarah (almost 150 t) was transferred from the Finot structure in Saint-Ouen to the Agnes shaft in Aubervilliers, ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - End of the tunnel for TBM Aby!

Grand Paris Express - End of the tunnel for TBM Aby!

TBM Aby has broken through at the Villejuif Louis-Aragon station on Line 15 South.  The TBM - that last March crossed the Vitry Centre Station - completed the 4.3km tunnel from the Arrighi ... More Information

Grand Paris Express –Line 18

On the 16/10/2021 an open day will be held from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. for the launch of a new TBM for Line 18. This will be the second TBM  for Line 18, whose name will be revealed during the site ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - TBM Dorine reaches Rolland!

On the 30/08/21 at a depth of 266 m the TBM Dorine completed its first tunnelling drive at Rolland! The TBM was launched last February from Verdun, and crossed the future Grand   Paris ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - New Breakthroughs in July

Grand Paris Express  - New Breakthroughs in July

Line 15 South - End of excavation for TBM Camille - TBM Camille, launched from the Creteil l’Echat station in October 2019 and after 4.2km - reached Salengro (Champigny-sur-Marne) on Line 15 ... More Information

Grand Paris Express updates

Line 15 South  - On 06/04/2021 TBM Ellen reached the Arcueil – Cachan station, after 700 m from the Robespierre pit at Bagneux as part of the Grand Paris Express ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - Line 15 South - TBM Aby reaches Vitry Centre station

Grand Paris Express - Line 15 South - TBM Aby reaches Vitry Centre station

Last week TBM Aby broke through at the Vitry Center station on Line 15 South, on the Grand Paris Express. The TBM was first assembled and then launched in  June 2019 by the  Consortium ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - TBM Mireille

The 8th TBM for the Line 6 of Grand Paris Express has been named Mireille, in honor of Mireille Agletiner, a retired professor  involved in the city’s community life.   The ceremony ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - Line 15 South - Aby, Marina and now Dieneba!

Grand Paris Express - Line 15 South - Aby, Marina and now Dieneba!

At the beginning of February the Grand Paris Express held an inauguration ceremony  for the last TBM for Line 15 South. The event was attended by everyone in the team from the Horizon joint ... More Information

Grand Paris Express updates - Line 16

Grand Paris Express updates - Line 16

Line 16 (27.5 km) of the Grand Paris Express project will be entirely underground and three works lots are planned with the use of 8 TBMs. The works’ are scheduled to finish in 2030. Lot 2 - ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - New milestones

Grand Paris Express - New milestones

Line 15 South -  On the 08/12/20, after a 4 km drive between the Robespierre shaft (in Bagneux) and Fort d ' Issy - Vanves - Clamart, TBM Ellen began driving a further 700 m section of the ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - New breakthrough on Line 15 South

Grand Paris Express  - New breakthrough on Line 15 South

After 3.4 km of excavation, the Amandine TBM arrived at Villejuif Louis-Aragon. The TBM began tunnelling in April 2019, it broke through at the underground enclosure of the future railway station ... More Information

Several milestones for the Grand Paris Express

Several milestones for the Grand Paris Express

TBM Ines, began its journey from the Verdun shaft  at La Courneuve on the 11/08/2020, and has now reached Le Bourget RER station for Line 16.  The TBM – which is 100 m long and ... More Information

Grand Paris Express Line 14 South updates

Grand Paris Express Line 14 South updates

TBM Koumba breakthrough at the Pont de Rungis station   On 17/09/2020 the GIE NGE GC / Impregilo Joint Venture with the TBM Koumba achieved another milestone for the Grand Paris Express ... More Information

Breakthrough for the TBM Armelle on Line 16

Breakthrough for the TBM Armelle on Line 16

TBM Armelle, a TBM on the Grand Paris Express Line 16 has broken through. The TBM was originally launched from the Georges Braque shaft in October 2019 and broke through in Aulnay-sous-Bois after ... More Information

Grand Paris Express update

Grand Paris Express update

In July TBM Sarah was launched from its shaft at Aubervilliers for its journey towards the Saint-Denis Pleyel station. It will arrive at the Finot site at Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine and then it will drive ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - Breakthrough for TBM Koumba

Grand Paris Express - Breakthrough for TBM Koumba

On 20/07/20 the TBM Koumba arrived at the future Europa service facility in Orly on the extension of line 14 south: click here for the video.  The TBM will resume excavation in about two ... More Information

Grand Paris Express tunnel works restarted

 Grand Paris Express tunnel works restarted

Line 15 - On 18/06/20 the TBM Amandine, who started out from the Arcueil Cachan station (Line 15, lot T3C), broke through the wall of the future Villejuif IGR (Institut Gustave Roussy) station. The ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - 3 New TBMs for Lines 16 and 17

Grand Paris Express  - 3 New TBMs for Lines  16 and 17

On the 5th of February 3 new TBMs manufactured by Herrenknecht were christened at the Verden site in Le Bourget, France. The consortium led by Eiffage-Génie Civil will use them to carry out ... More Information

Grand Paris Express - TBM Allison

TBM Allison has reached Villejuif IGR station on Line 14 South after  six months excavation. The station will connect Line 14 South and Line 15 South of the Grand Paris Express (Lot GC02) by ... More Information

Grand Paris Express – Update

Grand Paris Express – Update

Line 14 - On the 12th October 2019 during the KM7 event at the Saint-Denis Site, the name of the third TBM to be used for the  line 14 construction on the Grand Paris Express was announced. The ... More Information

Page:

Tunnelling News

Madrid invests EUR 123 million in new metro stations on Line 11

TBM Mayrit enters into action in 2026 · November 2025 – February 2026: assembly of the tunnel boring machine in Comillas Park (Carabanchel district) ... Facebook Twitter Flag as ... More Information

Jerusalem Light Rail Construction Advances Ahead of Major Tunnel Work

Local reporting on city project materials notes that “the plan calls for a 2-km underground tunnel to be built beneath the city center, including ... More Information

Why and how the Civil Works Alliance changed Sizewell C tunnel designs from Hinkley Point C

Ground conditions around Sizewell C have required intense collaboration between the project’s contractors alliance to come up with new outfall and intake tunnel design solutions... More Information

AI planning of the first railway tunnel through challenging terrain

AI plans first rail tunnel through tough terrain. Artificial Intelligence China Uses AI for the Construction of Railway Tunnels. 2025-12-08 ... More Information

Will Tunneling Projects Be The Next Big Thing For Mumbai's Public Transport?

During the interview, she also called tunnel boring machines the safest and one of the most efficient ways of doing tunelling. "Only the place of the ... More Information

Chipolbrok vessels deliver tunnel boring machines to Sydney and mineral bulk to Peru

Chipolbrok delivers TBMs for Sydney Metro on Chipolbrok Star and loads 29000t minerals in Peru on Taixing, showcasing fleet versatility... More Information

How Seequent's software solutions help to manage tunnelling data

The second phase of Singapore's Cross Island Line (CRL) metro project is under way, assisted by a suite of software from Seequent. Singapore's CRL is ... More Information

Muography to Transform Tunnel Safety Monitoring

Underwater bridge tunnels have become vital arteries for cities, enabling smooth vehicular passage beneath rivers, bays, and inland waterways. More than 200 of these structures operate ... More Information

10 longest tunnels in the world that reshaped global transportation

Modern tunnel construction involves sophisticated techniques, including tunnel boring machines and advanced geological surveying. The project ... More Information

Čučković: Construction of the tunnel boring machine for the Belgrade Metro in final phase

It is a good thing that we, for example, acquired these tunnel boring machines at a lower price than other countries... More Information

Serbia plans to borrow 2.5 billion EUR in 2026 for the construction of the Belgrade metro

It is also stated that two TBMs (tunnel boring machines), the so-called moles, have already been ordered and are expected to be delivered to ... More Information

VSM starts operation at Tilbury

The pioneering Vertical Shaft Sinking Machine (VSM) from Herrenknecht, named “Verena”, after Verena Holmes, a pioneering British mechanical ... More Information

Metrolinx reveals names of Ontario Line tunnel boring machines

Following a contest, Metrolinx has officially named its two massive tunnel boring machines Libby and Corkie... More Information

Montreal blue line metro tunnel boring machine has arrived, time to dig

It's basically building the backbone of the blue line extension,” said project chief Maha Clour, pointing out that crews have reached the bottom of ... More Information

Norway Unveils The World's Longest Road Tunnel In A Majestic Engineering Marvel

The construction cost broke down to about 38,000 NOK (roughly £3,500) per meter, an impressive figure considering the complexity and scale of the ... More Information

Sydney Metro West construction captured on video ahead of 2032 opening

Two giant tunnel boring machines have made their way through the deepest section of Darling Harbour as part of works on the new Metro West. More Information

Bengaluru's ₹18,000-crore tunnel road project inches closer as four major firms submit bids

Four firms bid for Bengaluru's ₹18000 crore tunnel project linking Hebbal to Silk Board, expected to ease city traffic by 2029 under a 34-year ... More Information

Webuild advances Rocchetta Tunnel excavation

Upcoming construction milestones. Webuild is preparing for the next major phase on the Apice–Hirpinia section: the launch of the reinforced concrete ... More Information

MMRDA plans 70-km underground tunnel road network across Mumbai

The project, being prepared in phases, will enhance multi-level connectivity and ease commuting. By KAILASH BABAR · Google preferences in ET Follow us ... More Information

Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway achieves 43.3% progress

The total length of the seven tunnels under the project is 10.979 km. ... Construction progress for the Chandram Bhir tunnel. (2,250 metres) has ... More Information

MMRDA plans 70-km underground tunnel road network across Mumbai

The project, being prepared in phases, will enhance multi-level connectivity and ease commuting. By KAILASH BABAR · Google preferences in ET Follow us ... More Information

Hong Kong: Robotics And AI Enhance Tunnel Construction

It is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation to advance the Trunk Road T2 and Cha Kwo Ling Tunnel project. These ... More Information

Single-Bore Tunnel Method Chosen for BART Silicon Valley Phase II

This decision allows VTA to advance project design towards 60%, stay on a critical path to tunnel construction and meet the projected revenue service ... More Information

Boring Co. begins 'controlled blasting' for Nashville tunnel at TN capitol

The Boring Co. has started excavation work at a state-owned parking lot on Rose Parks Boulevard for the Music City Loop project Wednesday, Aug. 13, ... More Information

TBM arrives in Montreal for delayed metro extension project

A custom-built tunnel boring machine (TBM) has arrived in Canada for use on a 6km extension of the Montreal Metro... More Information

Spain Confirms Feasibility of €8.5 Billion Morocco-Europe Tunnel

The study was conducted by German company Herrenknecht, the world leader in tunnel boring machines, at the request of the Spanish government's ... More Information

TxDOT spends $748M to burrow bus-size tunnels under Central Austin

The first tunnel boring machine will be deployed near ... Industry experts say tunnel boring machines typically advance about 50 feet per day. More Information

6 TBMs on Duty on the 27-Kilometer Line in Körfezray

Two of the six Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) that will serve in the first 27-kilometer phase are actively excavating tunnels, while the ... More Information

Construction on HS2's Euston tunnel will start 'fairly soon', says rail minister

Construction on the HS2 tunnel from Old Oak Common station to Euston station will start “fairly soon”, the rail minister has said... More Information

Blue Line Extension TBM Arrives at Port of Montreal

Railway Track and Structures Construction site of the future Vertières station (Pie-IX) in June 2025. Caption and photo courtesy of STM. MONTREAL - The tunnel boring machine (TBM) ... More Information

Tunnel break through milestone for Mt Messenger Bypass project

A 110 tonne excavating machine, called Hinetūparimaunga, has broken through at the northern end of the project's 235 metre-long tunnel ... More Information

$3.9 billion tunnel and bridge link for VA

Costing around $3.9 billion, the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) upgrade Expansion project for Virginia will improve traffic flow for a key ... More Information

Extended North Tunnel Flood Mitigation Project Receives $18.2 Million in State Funding

The funding advanced by the board includes a $17.2 million loan and $1 million grant for the construction of the mile-long tunnel, which will divert ... More Information

Gateway Project faces new uncertainty amid government shutdown

Federal funding for the $16B Hudson Tunnel Project, aka Gateway, has been paused during the government shutdown, sparking political backlash. More Information

Tunnel Boring Machine Emily Passes Key Factory Test for DC Water Potomac River Tunnel Project

Tunnel boring machine (TBM), Emily. This test confirms that Emily is ready to begin excavating the southern leg of the Potomac River Tunnel — a ... More Information

Sydney Metro West achieves world-first in tunnelling technology

Sydney Metro West has achieved a world-first in tunnel construction with a Lining Erector Machine (LEM) successfully being used to line the mined ... More Information

Gateway construction continues despite Trump's claim of termination

Tutor Perini, the general contractor on the Manhattan Tunnel Project, confirmed construction activity is currently continuing as planned... More Information

Tunnelling complete for Annacis water supply project

Metro Vancouver has completed the tunnelling phase of the $450 million Annacis Water Supply Tunnel, which will complete in 2028... More Information

Santa Clara VTA confirms single tunnel plan for BART extension

With VTA now owning the tunnel boring machine, the agency assumes full responsibility for its performance, agency officials said. To manage the risk, ... More Information