FAQ - Stad ship tunnel

In spring 2021, the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) approved the construction of the Stad ship tunnel within a budget of 4.09 billion Norwegian kroner, equivalent to approximately 5.06 billion kroner in 2024 prices.

If the offers from contractors exceed the budget of 5.06 billion kroner, then the project may need to return to Stortinget to obtain approval for a new budget.

The Norwegian Coastal Administration has been allocated 130 million kroner to work on the Stad ship tunnel in 2024. Some of these funds are designated for the process of selecting a contractor to build the world's first ship tunnel.

The Norwegian Coastal Administration is currently preparing to put the ship tunnel project out for tender over the summer of 2024. The remaining tasks before this can happen include finalizing regulatory plans and land acquisition. Once these are in order, the project can be announced in the market.

The NCA, along with the municipalities of Stad, Kinn, and Vanylven, have agreed on a prioritized list of which initiatives that may receive stone masses from the Stad ship tunnel. Unfortunately, there are not enough stone masses for all the projects requesting them, and even though the list is finalized, it is difficult to predict how many projects will actually receive stone. This uncertainty is due to challenging ground conditions, and that sea filling is not always exact science.

The core drilling that has been ongoing from the Kjøde side since last summer was concluded in January. This drilling has provided valuable information about the quality of the stone and other documentation that will be useful for the contractor responsible for building the tunnel.

The process has previously been as follows:

• On behalf of the Ministry of Transport, the Norwegian Coastal Administration devised a preliminary project and zoning plan with an impact assessment. Meanwhile, we worked on the operating concept and the realisation of benefits plan for the Stad ship tunnel, based on preliminary studies that were completed in 2014. The final report was submitted to the Ministry of Transport on 16 May 2017.
• The preliminary project, and subsequent quality assurance (KS2), form the basis for further consideration by the Storting with regard to final funding and implementation. As KS2 showed a higher price than the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s cost estimate, the Norwegian Coastal Administration was asked in January 2019 to conduct a new review. In this new review, the Norwegian Coastal Administration will make it clear that the ship tunnel can be built for NOK 2.7 billion, which was the cost estimate in the preliminary project. In KS2, which was delivered to the Ministry of Transport in May 2018, the price was estimated at NOK 3.7 billion – i.e. NOK 1 billion more than what has been allocated in the National Transport Plan.
• The Norwegian Coastal Administration submitted its report on 15 June 2019, where the conclusion was that the ship tunnel can be built within the framework for the funds that were allocated in the National Transport Plan 2018-2029. The Norwegian Coastal Administration identified opportunities for cost reductions in the project, and carried out studies to reduce the uncertainty in the project. If all of the cost reductions are made, the new estimated framework will be NOK 2677 million. In comparison, a price-adjusted framework in the National Transport Plan amounts to NOK 2953 million.
• In 2020, archaeological excavations were carried out in the regulated area, which was then released for the start of construction. Preparations have been completed for land acquisition.

• In February 2021, the Norwegian Coastal Administration received the allocation letter, which defined the processes for acquiring properties in the area where the ship tunnel will be located, establishing a project organization, developing tender documents, and initiating the tendering process. These were part of the plans for 2021.

  Furthermore, the Ministry of Transport and Communications prepared a proposition to the Parliament regarding the project, which was indeed discussed in May.

• The Parliament approved the project in May 2021, which means that all the formalities are now in place for the construction of the Stad Ship Tunnel.
• In May 2023, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries (NFD) requested the Norwegian Coastal Administration to assess the possibility of building the Stad Ship Tunnel at a lower cost than what was proposed in the revised national budget and the updated cost and uncertainty analysis by the Norwegian Coastal Administration.
• In June 2023, the NCA submitted its assessment of whether it is possible to carry out the Stad ship tunnel project at a lower cost than outlined in the revised national budget. In short, the NCA believes it is possible to reduce the costs of the project, particularly by addressing and reducing uncertainties. However, significant savings will only be clarified during the tender process and through negotiations with the contractors who will build the ship tunnel.
• In September 2023, the government decided to put the construction of the ship tunnel out for tender.

The Norwegian Coastal Administration is currently working to put the ship tunnel project out for tender after the summer of 2024. If all goes according to plan, the NCA aims to be ready to sign a contract with a contractor to build the tunnel by the autumn of 2025, enabling construction to commence late in 2025.

The actual construction time will depend on the chosen contractor, but it is estimated that it could take four to six years for the ship tunnel to be completed.

It is difficult to provide precise information at this stage.

The actual construction time will depend on the contractor chosen, but it is estimated that the construction period could range from four to six years.

If construction begins late in 2025, it is possible that the ship tunnel could be completed around 2030. However, it will be easier to provide a more specific timeline once the general contractor is selected and more detailed planning is in place.

This will be more like a large, long mountain cavern than a tunnel, and leading expertise will be used. Many businesses in Norway have highly experienced and well qualified staff to carry out this type of work. The upper part of the ship tunnel will be carved out in the same way as for ordinary road tunnels. Then we will blast our way downwards, layer by layer, which is known as bench blasting

The excavated rock will be transported from the tunnel by lorry, in the traditional way, to the fjords. From there, large barges will take it to different areas to be deposited.

The zoning plan allows for the establishment of a service tunnel next to the main tunnel. The final solution with regard to tunnelling and logistics will probably be clarified in collaboration with the contractor.

In total, about 3 million cubic metres of solid rock will be removed, which corresponds to about 5,4 million cubic metres rock masses. About two-thirds of this will be large boulders from blasting. The rest will be smaller rock masses from ordinary tunnelling.

5,4 million cubic metres tonnes of loose rock corresponds to around 750 000 lorry loads, but it will be removed from the site by barges.

We have the challenge of sea levels rising due to global warming. The ship tunnel will be designed for vessels with a vertical clearance of 30 metres, in accordance with the requirements imposed by the Government. We have designed a ceiling height of 33 metres. It should not therefore be a problem if the sea level rises by about one metre over the next 100 years.

"Doorstops" will probably be left at both ends of the tunnel during the construction period, i.e. we will not blast up to contour line -12 at the ends. This will keep the tunnel dry, also below sea level for most of the tunnel.

On both sides, there will be long entrance structures that slant outwards. This will help guide vessels towards the tunnel opening. There will also be an area outside the openings where it will be forbidden for other ships to enter. In addition, there will be an area that is the ‘point of no return’ for those entering the tunnel.

No, there will be no charge to use the tunnel. But – the pilotage regulations will apply to the waters in the Stad ship tunnel. This means that vessels longer than 70 metres without a Pilotage Exemption Certificate will be required to use the pilotage service.

Yes, we will follow the standard red and white light system to indicate when vessels can enter the tunnel. But passing boats will probably be given a time slot by the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) centre - in the same way as for planes.

The final decision on speed limits for both fjords and in the tunnel will be made at a later date (Maritime Traffic Regulations). In the tunnel, it will probably be eight knots for speedboats, which means it will take ten minutes to go through the tunnel. Five knots is considered to be likely for other vessels.

It will probably be around 400 metres, which is also the minimum distance for ensuring the safe passage. This distance will mean that five ships an hour can pass through the tunnel.

Large ships going through the tunnel can be up to 21.5 metres wide. This gives them a clearance of 2.5 metres on each side. This has been tested in a model tank, where one of the aims was to find the best speed for optimum manoeuvrability in the tunnel. The entrance/entry was tested in a simulator.

No. On each side there is a 3.5-metre-wide guide structure with fenders, but this is mostly so that the bridges on the boats do not touch the tunnel walls. In addition, this field can be used in the event of an evacuation, and is therefore classified as an escape route.

The tunnel will be secured with rock bolts and shotcrete.

Fenders will be placed inside the tunnel. These will be dimensioned according to the forces that the largest ships are designed for.

No. We are discussing whether there should be special times for recreational craft to use the tunnel, such as morning and evening. Alternatively, they can be fitted into the regular queue. But this has not been clarified yet.

Recreational boats must be motorized.