The tunnelling community gathered in London last week to celebrate another year of technical excellence, creative problem-solving and sector-wide collaboration at the NCE Tunnelling Awards 2025.
Held at the Hilton London Bankside, the ceremony followed a full day of discussions at the annual NCE Tunnelling Conference, where clients, contractors, consultants and suppliers explored how the industry is adapting to a shifting project landscape. With the UK moving from a period of major megaproject delivery toward a new wave of energy, water and resilience-focused schemes, the achievements recognised this year felt particularly timely.
Conference delegates heard updates on flagship UK projects such as the Silvertown Tunnel and Lower Thames Crossing, alongside international insights from the Turin–Lyon Tunnel. Sessions also highlighted progress in sustainable construction approaches, climate-resilient design, and the rapid development of digital tools that are reshaping skills needs and project delivery models.
As the conference concluded and the awards evening began, the spotlight turned to the teams and individuals pushing boundaries across all stages of underground works. Winners represented a broad spectrum of accomplishments—from advances in monitoring, safety, sustainability and carbon reduction to standout project delivery and long-term social impact.
The event again underscored the sector’s momentum: despite market changes and increasing technical demands, the tunnelling community continues to demonstrate ingenuity, resilience and a strong sense of purpose.
Below is the full list of 2025 Tunnelling Award winners:
NCE Tunnelling Awards 2025 – Winners
- Outstanding Contribution to the Industry – Sarah Langley, Sika
- Young Tunneller of the Year – Mark Ayad, Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture
- Health, Safety & Wellbeing Initiative of the Year – Joseph Gallagher
- Carbon & Sustainability Initiative of the Year – Mapei UTT
- Project Legacy & Social Value Award – Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture
- Innovation in Tunnel Design & Construction – CEDD (Government of the HKSAR), AECOM Asia & CREC Joint Venture
- Innovation in Tunnel Fit-Out, Maintenance & Refurbishment – Arup
- Innovation in Instrumentation & Monitoring – Maxwell GeoSystems
- Technical Innovation of the Year – Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture
- Tunnelling Ground Investigation Project of the Year – United Utilities & Mott MacDonald Bentley
- Tunnelling Project of the Year (up to $150M) – Avove, Severn Trent & HB Tunnelling
- Tunnelling Project of the Year ($150M and over) – DSD Aecom CSAJV
- Tunnelling Specialist Supplier of the Year – Maxwell GeoSystems
- Tunnelling Project Team of the Year – DSD Aecom CSAJV
To read more please visit the NCE website. 50/25.
