Press release - The world's first ship tunnel will now go out to tender - The Stad Ship tunnel will secure ship traffic in weather-resistant Stad. It is now clear that he will go out to tender in 2024.
Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum and Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran met together with local center party leaders on Thursday at Selje in Nordfjord to share the news.
The Storting has adopted the project with a broad majority and the fact that we are now putting it on the market is important in order to find out whether it is possible to realize the project within the framework the Storting has set. That is our goal, says Vedum.
The Minister of Fisheries supports Vedum:
This is a very important project, both for business and safety along the coast. Not least, it will provide enormous foresight for the development of important marine industries along the coast.
More expensive than first thought:
The work on the Stad Ship tunnel has been going on for a number of years, but took off in earnest after May 2021. Then the Storting approved the construction and financing of the tunnel.
The project has been controversial, not least because of the high price tag.
The tunnel originally had a cost frame of 2.8 billion. In May, the government reported that the price had risen to NOK 7.13 billion , an increase of 74 per cent.
The framework has now been adjusted down to 5.06 billion.
- If we receive offers of sufficient quality and at a price that is within the established cost framework, we will be able to start work on realizing the ship tunnel, says the fisheries minister.
If the offers from the suppliers are higher than the cost framework, a new case must be brought before the Storting, says Vedum to NRK.
The steering group: - An important step
Randi Humborstad is the day-to-day manager of Måløy Vekst and leader of the steering group for Stad ship tunnel.
- VERY SATISFIED: Leader of the steering group for Stad ship tunnel, Randi Humborstad, is pleased that the tunnel is going out to tender.
- We have considered and wondered what this will cost for a long time and it has been put off for so many solutions, there is no more to work out. This project is ready to go, so now it has to go on the market. And then the contractors have to start calculating what this will cost, she says to NRK.
Take part of the bill - Compensation
Since the tunnel is the first of its kind, potential suppliers must think differently to make it happen. Therefore, the state must help cover the bill for developing the offer, says Vedum to NRK.
- We will help cover the costs when various companies publish their tenders to ensure that more people will count on it and make offers so that we can go from good ideas to realistic plans for how the project can be built, he says .
The construction period is estimated to take five years.
Great international interest
Upon completion, the Stad Ship tunnel will be the first full-scale ship tunnel in the world.
It has aroused interest among contractor groups from all over the world. In December 2021, it became known that the state-owned China Railway Group, which helped build the Suez Canal, was among them.
On 1 February, the Norwegian Coastal Administration invited suppliers to a conference for the construction of the Stad Ship tunnel. 160 representatives from around 80 turnkey contractors and other suppliers met there.
The Stad Ship Tunnel: A Game-Changer in Maritime Safety
Located in the Stad Peninsula of Vestland County, the Stad Ship Tunnel aims to provide a safe and weather-resistant passage for ships navigating the treacherous Stadhavet Sea. This sea is notorious for its unforgiving currents and unpredictable weather, posing significant risks to maritime traffic.
Key project details:
• Length: 1.7 kilometers
• Width: 36 meters
• Height: 49 meters
• Estimated Construction Cost: Approximately €500M
• Construction Period: Estimated at 5 years
For further information please visit Nordisk Tillväxt: Your Gateway to Success in Scandinavia.
