Swedish construction company NCC achieves another exceptional breakthrough in Faroe Islands on 3 February. Tunnelers of the NCC have excavated the 10,8 kilometer long undersea Sandoy tunnel between the main island of Streymoy and the island of Sandoy to the south.

NCC had already completed another exceptional engineering feat around 1,5 years ago: The 11,2 kilometer long undersea Eysturoy Tunnel with the world's first undersea roundabout. Eysturoy tunnel has been also the first undersea tunnel in the Atlantic. 

NCC's very last salvo in the underwater Sandoy tunnel's 10.8 km long main run on last Thursday, when completed allows you to travel ferry-free from Sandoy to the Faroe Islands' capital Tórshavn.

The actual breakthrough ointment was triggered on Thursday at 13 local time. Thus, an open tunnel connection has been established and Sandøya is connected to the Faroese road infrastructure and the capital Tórshavn.

Here in the photo below, NCC and subcontractors gathered on the pile after the breakthrough, which was triggered at 13.15 local time.

- This is another important milestone in the second part of our contract in the Faroe Islands, and which in turn shows our solid expertise in complex tunnel and infrastructure projects. We are now looking forward to building and preparing the tunnel for traffic, says Per Jonsson, head of the NCC division Civil Engineering Norway.

The Sandoy tunnel is the second underwater tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean that NCC is building in this contract. In December 2020, the 11.2 km Eysturoy tunnel was opened in the archipelago.

- Breakthrough in the Sandoy tunnel is an important event for us. When the tunnel is completed, it will, among other things, increase the opportunities for living and increase business development at Sandoy, says CEO Teitur Samuelsen from the client P / E Eystur and Sandoyar tunnels (EST).

- I want to thank NCC who are very technically skilled in tunnel construction, and where we have avoided injuries and challenges have been handled all the way. This has made us feel secure in the implementation of the project, says Samuelsen.

There are now two years left to decorate the Sandoy tunnel until it is completed in the new year 2024.

Two subsea tunnels in simultaneous production Construction of the Sandoy tunnel began in 2018, and until the opening of the Eysturoy tunnel in December 2020, the construction of the two underwater tunnels continued in parallel.

- NCC has solid experience of building tunnels in the Faroe Islands. We are proud that we are again delivering according to plan, says Aage Lien, head of Region Tunnel and Heavy Mass Transfer in NCC Infrastructure.

The Sandoy tunnel runs from the ferry berth Gamlarætt on Streymoy and to Traðardalur on Sandoy. At its deepest, the tunnel is -147 meters below sea level.

NCC has solid experience of building underwater tunnels in the Faroe Islands. NCC built Vagatunnilin and Nordoyatunnilin at the beginning of the 2000s. Several of the key people working in the last two tunnel projects were also involved in building the two previous tunnels.

The tunnels make an important contribution in connecting societies, companies and people closer together. The construction also constitutes the largest infrastructure investment in the Faroe Islands ever.

The customer is P / E Eystur and Sandoyar tunnels (EST), which are 100 percent owned by the County Council of the Faroe Islands.

FACTS:

Sandoyar tunnel: Submarine tunnel etc.

Construction time: 2018 - 2024
Total length of main tunnel: 10.8 kilometers
Width: 9.5 meters
Number of daily passes: 310 cars
Gradient: 5%
Lowest point: -147 meters
Financing: passage fee
Customer: P / E Eystur and Sandoyar tunnels (EST) / Lagtinget
Contract value: NOK 1.1 billion

Eysturoyar tunnel: Undersea tunnel etc.

Construction time: 2016 - 2020
Total length of main tunnel: 11.2 kilometers
Width: 10.5m
Gradient: 5%
Lowest point: -187 meters
Financing: passage fee
Customer: P / E Eystur and Sandoyar tunnels (EST) / Lagtinget
Contract value: NOK 1.4 billion

Map: Faroe Islands Sandoy Tunnel my own work on Apple Maps.
Prepared with information and photos from NCC media release.

https://www.ncc.no/media/pressrelease-container/834eef7a2a637024/ncc-med-gjennomslag-i-sandoytunnelen-p%C3%83%C2%A5-f%C3%83%C2%A6r%C3%83%C2%B8yene/