The first of four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) designated for the excavation of tunnels in the Battipaglia-Romagnano section (Lot 1A) of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria high-speed rail line has arrived at the Port of Salerno. The contract for Lot 1A was awarded by RFI (a subsidiary of the FS Group) to the Xenia consortium, which is composed of Webuild (the consortium leader), Pizzarotti, Ghella, and Tunnel Pro.

This TBM, named Mireille, measures 130 meters in length, weighs 4,000 tons, and has a diameter of 13.46 meters. It is powered by 18 motors that together generate 10 megawatts of power. Mireille was previously used for the excavation of a 5.3-kilometer tunnel from Chelles to Sevran for Line 16 of the Grand Paris Express.

Once assembly is complete, the TBM will begin work on the 3-kilometer Saginara tunnel, located between the municipalities of Campagna and Contursi Terme (in the province of Salerno). The machine will operate around the clock, seven days a week, with the involvement of over 100 specialized workers.

This first TBM, along with three others set to arrive in the coming months, will be responsible for excavating tunnels as part of Lot 1A of the new Salerno-Reggio Calabria high-speed railway line. The project is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

Lot 1A includes the detailed design and construction of 35 kilometers of new railway line between Battipaglia and Romagnano, where trains will travel at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. The project involves the construction of 20 tunnels (eight of which will be excavated using TBMs), 19 viaducts, and a junction in Romagnano to connect the new line with the existing railway leading from Battipaglia to Metaponto and Potenza.

For further information on the project click here and it/280 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.fsnews.it, https://www.webuildgroup.com/, https://www.ghella.com/, https://www.pizzarotti.it/ and https://tunnelpro.it/. 40/24.