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

Milestones for Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project

The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project at Toronto has hit two major milestones - Rexy, one of the TBMs has completed 6 kms of tunnelling so far. The other TBM, Renny, has completed just over ... More Information

Central Interceptor TBM reaches 10-km milestone

Central Interceptor TBM reaches 10-km milestone

Hiwa-i-te Rangi TBM has reached the 10-km mark after leaving a site next to Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant in August 2021, as she heads to Pt Erin, Herne Bay to build the 16.2-km Central ... More Information

TERRATEC delivers a new Rock EBP TBM for Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project

TERRATEC delivers a new Rock EBP TBM for Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project

TERRATEC has delivered a 3.14m Rock EPB TBM for the Mumbai Sewer Disposal Project (MSDP) Stage-II – PST2 in Mumbai, India by J Kumar and Michigan Engineers Private Ltd. (MEPL) Joint Venture ... More Information

Spain - Monte Plano tunnel excavation completed

Spain - Monte Plano tunnel excavation completed

On 27 March 2024, Adif AV completed excavation of the Monte Plano tunnel (1.9 km) on the Olite-Tafalla South section (7.6 km) of the high-speed rail corridor in Navarra. The tunnel - built using the ... More Information

Thames Tideway Tunnel now fully built after final lid lifted into place

Work to build the Thames Tideway Tunnel - the London’s super sewer - including its tunnels and shafts, is now fully complete following the lifting of a giant, 24m-wide circular concrete ... More Information

Canada - TBM Phyllis Crosses the Finish Line for the Broadway subway project

Canada - TBM Phyllis Crosses the Finish Line for the Broadway subway project

TBM Phyllis arrived at Cypress Street near the future Arbutus Station on March 20, completing her journey from the tunnel portal at the future Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station. TBM Elsie is ... More Information

VTA’s Official TBM Naming Contest for the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project is Live!

VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project is excited to announce the launch of its Official TBM Naming Contest for the machine that will bore the 8.05 km (5-mile tunnel) portion of ... More Information

Final breakthrough for the Chiltern tunnel, HS2’s longest tunnel

Final breakthrough for the Chiltern tunnel,  HS2’s longest tunnel

Cecilia, the second 2000 t TBM, reached northern portal of 16.09 km (10 mile) high-speed rail tunnel under Chiltern Hills completing a journey that began in June 2021: click here for the ... More Information

First tunnel started for Coffs Harbour bypass, Australia

First tunnel started for Coffs Harbour bypass, Australia

The Australian and NSW Governments are funding the EUR1.4 bn (AUD2.2 bn), 14-km Coffs Harbour bypass project in New South Wales (Australia). The Coffs Harbour bypass project includes the following ... More Information

Completed the EIA for Port expansion and port tunnel in Helsinki, Finland

Completed the EIA for Port expansion and port tunnel in Helsinki, Finland

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the expansion of the Länsisatama Oy harbour in Helsinki and the harbour tunnel has been completed.  The expansion of the western harbour and ... More Information

Italy/Sicily - FAT passed for the TBM on Palermo-Catania Railway Lot 4A

Italy/Sicily - FAT passed for the TBM on Palermo-Catania Railway Lot 4A

The TBM EPB - 9.28 m diameter – which will be involved in the excavation of the new Palermo-Catania railway Lot 4A (Caltanissetta Xirbi - Enna section) passed its FAT at the Changsha ... More Information

Toulouse metro updates

Press Release - Catellan's Marguerite TBM delivered - On 29 February, Catellan's Marguerite, the third TBM of Line C of the Toulouse metro, was delivered. The first parts will reach the construction ... More Information

Cabinet approves two corridors of Delhi Metro Phase-IV

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved two new corridors - 20.762 km totally - of Delhi Metro's Phase-IV project which are expected to further improve the Metro ... More Information

CRCHI uses innovative Underground Pipeline Network Equipment on Construction Sites

On February 7, a significant breakthrough was achieved at the construction site of the Bang Pakong-south Bangkok power plant gas transmission pipeline project in Thailand. The first section of the ... More Information

Final leg for two TBMs on the Broadway subway project

Final leg for two TBMs on the Broadway subway project

The Broadway Subway Project Corporation (BSPC) is extending the Millennium Line from VCC Clark Station to Arbutus Street. The Project scope includes 700m of elevated guideway extending west from the ... More Information

Australia - Halfway mark reached on Western Sydney Airport project

Australia - Halfway mark reached on Western Sydney Airport project

TBMs Catherine and Marlene are halfway to St Marys after each building 2.4 km of tunnel for the Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport project. They broke through at the Claremont Meadows ... More Information

Australia - News on Sydney Metro West project

Australia - News on  Sydney Metro West project

Press release - The first service tunnel to connect the 24-km Metro West line to a new stabling and maintenance facility at Clyde has been completed, ticking off another significant milestone for ... More Information

Start of the Rekalde Bypass project in Bilbao, Spain

Start of the Rekalde Bypass project in Bilbao, Spain

The Department of Infrastructures and Territorial Development has awarded to the joint venture comprising Typsa, Fulcrum and Tekia the EUR 5,805,580.06 (VAT included) the contract for the design of ... More Information

TBM Wilma is ready for the Brenner Base Tunnel

TBM Wilma is ready for the Brenner Base Tunnel

On 8 march 2024 BBT SE and H53 Consortium consisting of Porr Bau GmbH, Marti GmbH Austria and Marti Tunnel AG Switzerland completed the factory acceptance of Wilma. This will be the first of the two ... 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

The last HS2 TBM in the West Midlands starts digging towards Birmingham

The last HS2 TBM in the West Midlands starts digging towards Birmingham

On 05 March 2024 HS2 launched the last TBM to dig tunnels for the new high speed railway in the West Midlands. The 1,600 t weight and 125 m long TBM has started on its journey to dig the second bore ... More Information

Excavation of tunnel for Mularroya dam in Spain complete

On March 1, the joint venture Mularroya, composed of Acciona and Sacyr, celebrated the final breakthrough for the 12.6km-long water transport tunnel in the Mularroya dam project in the province of ... More Information

Excavation completed of Oural railway tunnel

Excavation completed of Oural railway tunnel

On 28 February 2024, Ferrovial on behalf of Adif completed the excavation using the drill&blast method of the new 1.9 km Oural tunnel (average advance was 5 m/day). The tunnel was built parallel ... More Information

CRCHI Slurry Pipe Jacking Machine Sets Sail for Colombia

CRCHI Slurry Pipe Jacking Machine Sets Sail for Colombia

In February, CRCHI (China Railway Construction Heavy Industry) completed assembly of its slurry pipe jacking machine in Changsha, China, successfully passing the acceptance inspection. This ... More Information

Call for Papers: World Tunnel Congress 2025 Focuses on Sustainable Future in Tunnelling

The World Tunnel Congress 2025 is excited to announce the Call for Papers for its upcoming congress to be held in Stockholm. Themed 'Tunnelling into a Sustainable Future,' the congress will ... More Information

Norway - Priority list for stone from Stad ship tunnel completed

The dimensions of the Stad ship tunnel are massive with a height of 50 m and a width of 36 m, in a length of 1,700 m. In total, more than three million cubic meters of solid rock must be removed ... More Information

Norway - Breakthrough was marked in the Åstunnel

 Norway - Breakthrough was marked in the Åstunnel

On 29 February at exactly 3 p.m a further breakthrough happened in the twin tube Åstunnel in Levanger municipality, on the E6 between Kvithammar and Åsen. Nye Veier is the ... More Information

Geofluid 2026: an even more international edition

Geofluid 2026: an even more international edition

Piacenza Expo is already at work for the new edition of GEOFLUID, the international exhibition of technologies and equipment for the exploration, extraction and transport of underground fluids, a ... More Information

Turin/Lyon – TELT's fifth TBM has been delivered

On February 29th, 2024  the fifth of the seven TBMs for the new Lyon-Turin railway line was delivered to the French-Italian group of companies ELYOT, consisting of Eiffage Génie civil ... More Information

BBT - New milestone for the TBM Ida on the H41 Sill-Pfons Gorge construction site

The TBM Ida in the H41 Sill-Pfons Gorge lot of the Brenner Base Tunnel is continuing its journey through the westbound line tunnel in a southerly direction.  On Sunday, 25 February 2024, ... More Information

Historic breakthrough for HS2’s longest tunnel

Historic breakthrough for HS2’s longest tunnel

HS2’s first giant TBM – which launched almost 3 years ago – broke through on 27 February at the end of her 16 km (10-mile) journey under the Chilterns, excavating the longest ... More Information

Hinkley Point C tunnels ready for connection to Bristol Channel

Hinkley Point C’s tunnels are ready for the connection to the Bristol Channel to be completed - marking a major step in the construction of the power station’s cooling water system. Six ... More Information

HS2 launches third TBM under capital building the Northolt Tunnel

On 25th February HS2’s London tunnels programme passed a major milestone as the third TBM being used as part of the project was launched.  TBM Emily, named after Emily Sophia Taylor who ... More Information

WTC 2025 - Call for papers

The World Tunnel Congress 2025 will focus on sustainability, innovation, and Tunnelling into a sustainable future. Researchers, academics, and professionals are invited to contribute to the ... More Information

BBT - Take part in choosing the names of the two new TBMs for the Brenner Base Tunnel

Until 12 noon today, 22 February, you can participate in the choice of names for the two 160 m long TBMs that will come into operation in autumn 2024 for the excavation of the Austrian Pfons-Brenner ... More Information

India - Hard Rock Double Shield TBM is belting along with its Continuous Conveyor on the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydropower project

India - Hard Rock Double Shield TBM is belting along with its Continuous Conveyor on the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydropower project

TERRATEC is delighted to announce that the Ø9.86m Hard Rock Double Shield TBM has made significant progress for the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydropower Project in India. The machine excavated an ... More Information

Tunnelling News

Monica Breaks Ground on Snowy 2.0

Monica the tunnel boring machine, with the renewable energy mega-project now more. TBM Monica is among the world's most advanced tunnel boring machines... More Information

Snowy 2.0 sets new tunnel boring machine to work, completes 46 underground concrete pours

Snowy 2.0 has set to work a fourth tunnel boring machine, a $75 million piece of drilling equipment purpose built to complete excavation of the huge pumped hydro project’s “geologically ... More Information

World's 'largest' underground assembly of tunnelling machines happening beneath Sydney

Workers are craning into place about 167 major pieces that will form the first of two giant boring machines. Once assembled like giant Meccano sets, ... More Information

Tunneling Begins on Major Water Pipeline for South Hillsborough

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Water has begun construction on a major underground pipeline project aimed at meeting rising water demand in southern Hillsborough County, where population growth ... More Information

The massive £3billion tunnel designed to connect two continents under the sea

The construction of a huge underwater multi-tiered tunnel is underway in Turkey, that will create a direct route from Asia to Europe - and is expected to carry 1.3 million passengers a ... More Information

Riederwald Tunnel in Frankfurt is further delayed

Traffic was supposed to start flowing through the controversial Riederwald Tunnel in Frankfurt in 2033. But that's unlikely to happen. The €1.5 billion project is facing further delays – ... More Information

What happens to our metro tunnel boring machines when they hit the end of the line?

These mechanical behemoths were Betty and Dorothy, the tunnel boring machines tasked with digging the Sydney Metro West tunnels. Loading. The ... More Information

The incredible £2.8bn underwater tunnel connecting Europe and Asia

A huge new tunnel will connect Europe and Asia - and construction has already started. The Great Istanbul Tunnel is a major project. It will carry ... More Information

China develops "smart brain" for tunnel boring machines to boost underground construction

A team from Hunan University in central China has collaboratively developed an intelligent operating system for tunnel boring machines, giving these massive underground giants a "smart ... More Information

How China rescued highway project under Yangtze River

The incident occurred in February 2023 during construction of the 6.4-kilometer Jiangyin–Jingjiang Yangtze River Tunnel. Midway through excavation, at ... More Information

HS2 final tunnel drive to Euston starts next week

A team from SCS will drive a 4.5-mile twin-bore tunnel linking Old Oak Common to Euston using two tunnel boring machines, Karen and Madeleine. More Information

Work begins on £48M Knutsford sewer upgrade featuring 1.8km stormwater tunnel

Sean Reid, United Utilities county business lead for wastewater in Cheshire said: “This project highlights our ongoing commitment to improving water ... More Information

$14.6M boost moves Gering–Fort Laramie Canal Tunnel project forward

After nearly six years of planning, construction is moving forward on the Gering–Fort Laramie Canal tunnels... More Information

Webuild: second breakthrough at Trebisacce Tunnel along Jonica State Road 106

Project will help transform Jonica State Road 106 into a strategic corridor linking Ionian coasts of Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia... More Information

Ground preparation for Lower Thames Crossing tunnelling

Work is ongoing to overcome sub-optimal ground conditions in preparation for the start of tunnelling on the Lower Thames Crossing in late 2028, according to the project’s tunnels director... More Information

LA Metro approves massive $25B underground rail line to bypass 405 Freeway

The LA Metro Board unanimously approved an underground heavy rail line to connect the San Fernando Valley and the Westside, bypassing the congested 405 Freeway. The nearly 13-mile route, ... More Information

TUNNEL VISION Mega £7.4bn undersea tunnel connecting two CONTINENTS just got one step closer

A MAJOR £7.4 billion underwater tunnel connecting two continents has taken a step closer to construction. Experts have said the 24-mile tunnel is “technically viable”, paving the way for ... More Information

TBM breakthrough in Sydney

Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Jane Starkey successfully completed her 1.2km underground journey through challenging Sydney sandstone... More Information

Hochul announces $25 million for Harlem crosstown subway tunnel design

At E. 120th St., a pair of tunnel-boring machines — currently under construction in Germany — will bore new, 8,400-foot tunnels north from the end ... More Information

Tunnelling under the Yarra River

Our two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will soon be travelling underneath the Yarra River... Approximately 300 metres of the 6.5 kilometre North East Link will be under the Yarra ... More Information

The Boring Company says its tunneling machine is 'ready to mine in Nashville'

The Music City Loop project is aimed at transporting people from Nashville International Airport to Lower Broadway in roughly 10 minutes. By Li ... More Information

Norway Is Building the World's Longest and Deepest Tunnel Beneath the Sea

The Rogfast project, short for Rogaland Fixed Link, is an underwater road tunnel being built beneath Norway's fjords as part of the E39 coastal ... More Information

Future engineers become 'TBM Captains' for Suburban Rail Loop

Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) that will begin work this year. The tour of the eastern tunnel entrance was part of a long-term initiative, with ... More Information

Image gallery: Civil works completed on HS2's longest tunnel

Main construction on the Buckinghamshire structure began in May 2021 with the launch of two 2,000-tonne tunnel boring machines (TBMs), named Florence ... More Information

The Boring Company Launches Free Tunnel Contest: AI Applications for Smart Infrastructure

According to Sawyer Merritt on Twitter, The Boring Company has announced a contest to build a one-mile tunnel for free, inviting proposals for ... More Information

Out of sight: spectacular HS2 tunnels offer glimmer of hope for stalling project

Despite much soul-searching over UK’s inability to build infrastructure, two sections of HS2 under Chilterns are being hailed for their engineering... More Information

HS2 January 2026 update

We’re making progress building the main infrastructure for the new line. We’ve completed 80% of tunnelling and are working on major bridges, viaducts and embankments, and HS2’s new ... More Information

Implenia Secures EUR 350 Mln Projects For Bridges, Tunnel Works In Germany

Tunnel to join motorway sections and connecting roads. The Swiss construction and real estate company said the Peene Bridge project in Wolgast, ... More Information

Incredible new $7.9bn mega rail and road tunnel to be the world's longest

The safety of our workers is of utmost importance during the construction of the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel. We will await the findings of the ... More Information

TBM launch from Rukanpura soon as metro work gains pace

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the underground network is likely to be launched from Rukanpura on Bailey Road, which falls under Corridor I ... More Information

World's largest-diameter boring machine used for Yangtze River railway tunnel

China's domestically developed, world's largest-diameter vertical shaft boring machine 'Qiming' was officially put into operation in Taicang City ... More Information

HCMC approves sea-crossing route with undersea tunnel between Can Gio and Vung Tau

Ho Chi Minh City has approved a strategic proposal by Vingroup to construct a direct sea-crossing road connecting the Can Gio coastal urban area with Vung Tau beach town, cutting travel ... More Information

Changi Airport’s new underground link to take passengers from future T5 to T2 in 4 minutes

SINGAPORE – Passengers at the future Changi Airport Terminal 5 can expect to reach Terminal 2 in four minutes via the airport’s new underground link... More Information

SRL inspires TBM Captains - Victoria's Big Build

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Captains. When SRL East opens in 2035 ... Construction of SRL East is powering ahead, with more than 3000 people ... More Information

Beneath winter's fjords: 17 miles of rock, 1300 ft deep

Rogfast tunnel construction beneath Norway's winter fjords, 17 miles long and 1,300 feet deep,. Credits: Ground Engineering. For years, the E39 ... More Information

Massive Sinkhole Opens Near $26 Billion Tunnel Project in Melbourne

A massive sinkhole has suddenly opened up in Melbourne near a major highway tunnel construction site, sparking safety fears and halting ... More Information

The world's longest expressway tunnel: China's Tianshan Shengli Tunnel

At the same time, the project also implemented China's first 'three-tunnel parallel construction' plan, which increased the number of workfaces. At ... More Information

'Not really where you want to be': Ground preparation for Lower Thames Crossing tunnelling

The Lower Thames Crossing is a major new road and tunnel project in the UK, intended to alleviate congestion at the Dartford Crossing and enhance. More Information

Funding problems affect metro line extensions

In the Athens metropolitan area, construction of Line 4 is continuing, with the Avax-Ghella-Alstom consortium saying the two tunnel-boring machines ... More Information