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The fourth Snowy 2.0 TBM shipped to Snowy Mountains

Snowy Hydro is now preparing for the arrival of its fourth TBM to join Snowy 2.0 – Australia’s largest renewable energy project.  The new TBM - 178-m length and 11.86 m diameter - ... More Information

Canada - Breaking ground on second Ontario Line tunnel launch shaft

Canada - Breaking ground on second Ontario Line tunnel launch shaft

Metrolinx is creating a second tunnel launch shaft near Gerrard Street and Carlaw Avenue which is now under construction. This will serve as the starting point for the second underground section of ... More Information

Veidekke Secures Final Tunnel Contract for Gothenburg’s West Link Project

Scandinavian construction powerhouse Veidekke ASA has officially been awarded the contract section of Gothenburg's ambitious West Link (Västlänken) rail project. Project Overview Scope: ... More Information

Central Romania: Cluj-Napoca Metro Project Moves into Underground Construction Phase

Work on Romania’s second metro network, in Cluj-Napoca, has entered a key new stage with the start of excavation for the tunnel boring machine (TBM) launch shaft.  Turkish general ... More Information

Underground Engineering in the Spotlight 1-3 October, Belgrade, Serbia

Serbian Association for Tunnels and Underground Structures in collaboration with the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association will  host the Southeastern ... More Information

North End Connectors Awarded C$1.4B Contract for Yonge North Subway Extension Tunnelling

On August 6, 2025, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx awarded North End Connectors a fixed-price C$1.4 billion contract to design, build, and finance the advance tunnelling phase of the Yonge ... More Information

Canyon Tunnel Project: A New Lifeline in the Central Valley

Overview & Purpose - The Canyon Tunnel Project is a major $84 million regional water infrastructure initiative carried out by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) in partnership ... More Information

Vietnam - Breakthrough of TBM Than Toc for Hanoi's Pilot Light Metro Line

Vietnam - Breakthrough of TBM Than Toc for Hanoi's Pilot Light Metro Line

On July 28, 2025 at 10h20 a.m.,  TBM n.1 named Than Toc (Lightning speed) - designed and manufactured by Herrenknecht, over 100 m length and 850 t weight -  successfully completed its ... More Information

Australia - New Sydney Metro West Updates

Australia - New Sydney Metro West Updates

TBMs Dorothy and Betty power into Parramatta Tunnelling for the Sydney Metro West project is nearly 90% complete, with the arrival of two TBMs at Parramatta’s metro station site. This marks a ... More Information

France – Breakthrough of the Marguerite de Catellan TBM at the Cote Pavee station on Toulouse Line C!

France – Breakthrough of the Marguerite de Catellan TBM at the Cote Pavee station on Toulouse Line C!

On Thursday 24 July, the TBM Marguerite de Catellan broke through at the future Côte Pavée station, Lot 4 of Toulouse Line C: click here for the video. The TBM - launched in ... More Information

HS2 lifts third giant TBM in London after 5.47 km (3.4-mile) underground journey

On Saturday 26th July, the team working on the HS2 project lifted the TBM Emily's 9.11m diameter cutterhead, front and middle shield, weighing 880 t, using a large gantry crane, at the Green Park ... More Information

Production of segments completed in Ahrental for the Austrian H41 construction site of the Brenner Base Tunnel

Production of segments completed in Ahrental for the Austrian H41 construction site of the Brenner Base Tunnel

On Saturday 19 July, production of the precast concrete segments used by the TBMs for the final lining of the line tunnels were completed at the Ahrental plant located  near the Austrian H41 ... More Information

Delhi Metro Rail Project update

The Delhi Metro Rail Project marked another significant milestone as Afcons Infrastructure’s Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Disha (1264B) achieved a breakthrough at the Tughlakabad Railway Colony ... More Information

Ontario Line - Name the first two TBMs

Be part of transit history! Here’s your chance to make your mark on Toronto’s newest subway line. The first two TBMs have arrived in Canada. They will dig the tunnels in the southern ... More Information

ITA Awards 2025 Finalists Announced

After rigorous adjudication by the Panel of Judges, the Finalists of the 2025 series of the ITA Tunnelling Awards has been announced. From a short list of 51 entries from 27 ... More Information

TBM replaced by traditional method on a 500 m section on the south side of Second Gotthard tunnel

In February 2025, excavation work began on the construction of the second tube of the Gotthard motorway tunnel. While the TBM on the north side is progressing steadily, on 23 June 2025 it was ... More Information

Italy - Gran Sasso Tunnel: measures to accelerate upgrading activities

The green light has been given for work on the Gran Sasso Tunnel to begin. They had needed to comply with current technical regulations on the tunnels safety in the trans-European road network ... More Information

Construction Begins on Cross Island Line Phase 2

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has commenced civil construction works for Phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL). Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow officiated the ground-breaking ... More Information

First Scheldetunnel Element Successfully Immersed in Antwerp

DEME Group has announced a major milestone in the construction of the Scheldetunnel, part of the Oosterweel Link in Antwerp. The first of eight prefabricated tunnel elements has now been ... More Information

Underground Breakthrough for €114M Athlone Drainage Project

The €114 million Athlone Main Drainage Scheme has recorded a successful breakthrough on its second underwater tunnel beneath the River Shannon—marking a significant milestone in the ... More Information

Torrens to Darlington Project Update

ADELAIDE, SA — July 2025: The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project continues to gain momentum, with June marking a month of significant progress across several key construction sites. As South ... More Information

Bhopal Metro Rail Project

The Bhopal Metro Rail Project has marked a significant milestone with the successful completion of the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for its first tunnel boring machine (TBM), designated TBM 427. ... More Information

Europe’s Largest Road Tunnel: The Lower Thames Crossing

Preparatory work for the Lower Thames Crossing—the future title-holder of Europe’s largest road tunnel—is slated to begin in late 2025 Project Overview Tunnel length: 2.6 ... More Information

Rome metro line C - Executive design of section T2 gets underway

With Ordinance N. 10 from the 27 June 2025, the Special Commissioner approved the final design for the 4km section T2 of Line C, involving the construction of four new stations (Chiesa Nuova, San ... More Information

Last Chance Grade Project - California

Caltrans District 1 announced a USD 40 million allocation toward the design phase of the Last Chance Grade Project along U.S. Highway 101 south of Crescent City in Del Norte County. This funding ... More Information

HS2 completes excavation of the Norton tunnel under London

HS2 completes excavation of the Norton tunnel under London

Excavation of the  twin-bore Northolt tunnel between West Ruislip at the outer edge of the capital and the new Old Oak Common super-hub station in west London has been completed. On 26th June ... More Information

ITEC 2025 - Highlighting Advanced Trenchless Technologies for Saudi Arabia’s Infrastructure Transformation

The International Trenchless Exhibition & Conference (ITEC) 2025 officially commenced on 23 june at the Jeddah Hilton. More Information

TBMs resume digging North East Link tunnels in Australia

Gillian and Zelda, the two massive TBMs building Victoria’s longest road tunnels are back in action, relaunching from Lower Plenty Road to continue their journey towards Bulleen as part of the ... More Information

Swiss Tunnel Day 2025

Starting in 2024, the Swiss Tunnel Congress (STC)—Switzerland’s premier event for underground construction—will be held exclusively in even-numbered years. To maintain momentum in ... More Information

Turin/Lyon - Open days on the construction site to discover the TBM Viviana

Less than a year after the previous open day organised at the entrance to the base tunnel on the French side, TELT once again welcomed the public on the 14 and 15 June 2025, this time at the ... More Information

Government Injects £590 Million into Lower Thames Crossing

A Crucial Boost to Britain’s Largest Road Tunnel Project -  On 16 June 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed an additional £590 million funding boost for the Lower Thames ... More Information

WTC2026 Call for abstracts - Extended Deadline!

The WTC2026 planning committee would like to inform you that the deadline for the abstract submissions has been extended for a final time to June 30, 2025. The Congress will take place from 15 to 21 ... More Information

Final breakthrough for Casacastalda tunnel on SS 318 Di Valfabbrica

On 12 June 2025, the last part of the new Casacastalda tunnel was demolished as part of the works to widen the Valfabbrica SS 318 (Perugia-Ancona route) to four lanes: click here to watch ... More Information

International Trenchless Exhibition & Conference (ITEC 2025)

International Trenchless Exhibition & Conference (ITEC 2025)

ITEC 2025, which will take place on 23- 24 June 2025 at the Jeddah Hilton, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) is a premier event aimed at advancing trenchless technology within Saudi Arabia’s rapidly developing infrastructure sector. More Information

Shortened construction time for the Floyfjell tunnel extension in Norway

Shortened construction time for the Floyfjell tunnel extension in Norway

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has prepared an optimized proposal for adjusted exit and entry ramps from the Floyfjell road tunnel in Sandviken on the E39.  The extension of the ... More Information

Press release - Third HS2 tunnelling machine completes its drive beneath London

Press release - Third HS2 tunnelling machine completes its drive beneath London

HS2’s tunnelling team in London is one step closer to completing the capital’s Northolt Tunnel after the latest in a series of complex tunnelling breakthroughs. The tunnel boring ... More Information

Tunnelling News

SRL East TBMs arrive in Burwood

Two more tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have arrived in Melbourne ready for tunnelling of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East to start this year. The TBMs ... More Information

$100 Million Allocated for Ft. Laramie Canal Tunnel Project

Laramie Canal Tunnel Project. The Department of the Interior announced the funding Tuesday as part of the $889 million for water infrastructure ... More Information

What are the benefits of using tunnel boring machines in infrastructure projects?

Ask NCE has been updated to Answers 3.0, allowing you to ask civil engineering-focused questions and receive clear, practical responses such as ... More Information

Minsk Metro, together with "Alesya," will start digging with "Mariya."

It was noted on a transport forum that parts of a second tunnel boring machine (TBM) for laying tunnels began to be brought to one of the construction sites of the third metro line... More Information

TBM for Lyon-Turin project unveiled

The first of two tunnel boring machines for the Italian section of the 57.5km Mont Cenis Base Tunnel has been unveiled... More Information

NFR achieves breakthrough in Tunnel No 8 of Sivok–Rangpo railway project

Tunnel No. 8 is one of the major tunnels of the project with a total length of 4.148 km and an additional adit measuring 1.010 km. The excavation and ... More Information

Suburban Rail Loop hits tunnelling milestone as eight TBMs arrive on site

The Suburban Rail Loop has reached a major construction milestone, with eight tunnel boring machines now on site ahead of tunnelling later this year... More Information

$16bn Hudson Tunnel project could pause again 'in two to three months'

Components of the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will be used for the Palisades Tunnel Project arrived at ... More Information

Hinkley Point C | TBM readied for 620m long fish return tunnel

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will excavate the fish return tunnel has been christened Sarah Guppy by local schoolchildren, in tribute to ... More Information

Bhopal Metro's Orange Line Tunnelling Begins

The Bhopal Metro project has recently reached an important milestone as tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been positioned to begin digging work on ... More Information

A Chinese team rescued a $50M tunnel machine stuck 177 feet underground

Chinese engineers have pulled off a stunning rescue, saving a tunnel boring machine (TBM) stuck 177 feet underground beneath the Yangtze River. More Information

Fort Smith named finalist in Elon Musk's Boring Company tunnel challenge

The company selected Fort Smith's proposal from 487 applicants. The company says the winning project will receive construction of a one-mile tunnel ... More Information

Bengaluru: Four infrastructure firms bid for Hebbal short tunnel

Bengaluru infrastructure: Four firms, including Dilip Buildcon and Max Infra, bid for BDA's Rs 1086 crore Hebbal short tunnel project... More Information

TBM readied for Montreal's Blue Line extension

A custom-made 9.7m-diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) has been assembled and lowered ready to excavate the tube from the future Vertières stop to ... More Information

$11.5B Brenner Base Tunnel Nears End of TBM Excavation

With TBMs Olga and Wilma closing in, the 55-km rail project shifts from excavation to systems integration ahead of its planned 2028 opening beneath ... More Information

$6.75 Billion Unlocked for Turkey's Bosphorus Rail Project

Multiple Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will need to be mobilized to carve out the subterranean corridors leading up to ... More Information

Tunneling for Nashville's underground Tesla project has begun

The Boring Company said that the first three weeks of the project will consist of the Prufrock-MB1, a machine that will help carve out the tunnel, ... More Information

Hudson Tunnel Project construction resumes

I look forward to celebrating the launch of our tunnel boring machines through the Palisades once GDC has assurance it will receive the steady flow ... More Information

Lower Thames Crossing

British suppliers could meet 90% of low carbon steel requirements. The proposed machine would be 16.4m in diameter, large enough to create a three‑lane tunnel bore, and is intended to dig ... More Information

Inside the Tunnel Boring Machine, Southampton Link Main project

A six-tonne tunnel boring machine is digging deep below the ground in Hampshire to help keep the county's taps and rivers flowing... More Information

TBM maestro inspects sites ahead of massive tunnel drive

The first machine components have arrived for the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to be deployed on the Suburban Connect sites in Melbourne. More Information

Metrolinx provides major updates on subway and LRT projects across the GTA

Tunnel boring is advancing on multiple projects, with Scarborough's TBM ... Metrolinx says “Diggy Scardust,” the project's tunnel boring machine, is now ... More Information

Work in Progress: High-tech TBMs ready to carve underground corridor

The Bhopal Metro Rail Project is transitioning into its most challenging and sophisticated phase as two state-of-the-art Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) ... More Information

Sarens helps extract TBM at BC water supply project

The Annacis Water Supply Tunnel Project aims to increase the reliability and capacity of the water supply system in New Westminster, British Columbia. When complete, the tunnel will ... More Information

Judge rules in favor of New York and New Jersey for now in $16B tunnel fight with Trump

A federal judge ruled Friday to temporarily block the Trump administration from suspending federal disbursements for the Gateway Tunnel Project... More Information

Webuild: award for Sustainability Report for commitment to decarbonise through innovation

This includes the large tunnel-boring machines deployed on some of Europe's most complex projects: from the Salerno-Reggio Calabria ... More Information

Clearwater update reports initial entry area is 'stable and intact'

The tunnel boring machine being used in the project remains trapped underground just ahead of where the breach occurred. The ambitious, $630 ... More Information

Tunnel Boring Machine Market Size estimated at USD 7.08 Billion

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing urbanization, infrastructure development, ... More Information

Completing the First Section of Line 3: Tunnel Boring Machine Roars as it Emerges at Balboa

The Panama tunnel boring machine emerged and completed its first major task: the first section of the Line 3 Metro tunnel. More Information

Twin tunnel-boring titans prepare to dig new road under Sydney Harbour

Twin tunnel-boring titans are preparing to launch under Sydney Harbour to dig out a new road crossing from Birchgrove to Waverton... More Information

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