The Stad ship tunnel has been under evaluation since the 1990s, but it was not until 2021 that the project received the green light from the Norwegian Parliament, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket) was tasked with its realization. Now, three and a half years later, the construction project has finally been put out to tender, bringing the world’s first ship tunnel closer to reality than ever before.

– Since we were assigned the task of building the Stad ship tunnel in the spring of 2021, we have worked diligently on preparatory efforts leading up to the tender announcement. A tunnel like this has never been built before, making the technical documentation quite demanding. Additionally, the planning processes, land acquisitions, reuse of stone masses, and efforts to reduce project risks and costs have been extensive and time-consuming. Reaching this milestone and putting the project out to tender is a significant achievement for us, says Director General Einar Vik Arset.

High interest

Previous engagement with the contractor market, including two supplier conferences, has shown great enthusiasm and interest in the project.

– The Stad ship tunnel is a spectacular and partly challenging project, unmatched anywhere in the world today. We believe this will attract many contractors, potentially creating strong competition for the project, says Harald Inge Johnsen, Project Manager for the Stad ship tunnel at the NCA.

What happens next?

– We are now entering a prequalification phase to qualify contractors for the construction work. After this, three to five of these contractors will be invited to submit bids, which we will evaluate and negotiate in several rounds before selecting the most qualified bidder, explains Johnsen.

But first, the NCA will host a tender conference at Gardermoen on December 17.

Tender conference on December 17

– Design-build contractors should note that we will hold a tender conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Gardermoen on December 17. There, we will present the project and go through the key elements of the tender documents. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions, says Johnsen, who hopes many contractors will take advantage of this opportunity to gain further insights into the project and the competition.

• Registration for the tender conference is via the announcement on Doffin/Kystverket's procurement tool, Mercell.

What will be the biggest challenge for contractors building the ship tunnel?

– The size of the tunnel’s openings will be the most significant challenge. It will be as large as the tunnel chamber itself, standing 50 meters high and approximately 40 meters wide—about seven times higher than a standard road tunnel, says Johnsen.

Kystverket has outlined the following tentative timeline for the tender process:

The tender has been announced as a design-build contract on the Norwegian database for public procurement notices.

If everything proceeds as planned, the contract could be signed in the autumn of 2025, with construction starting in early 2026. This timeline depends on receiving bids within the project’s budget framework. The Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket) has estimated the construction period to be just under five years.

What exactly does a design-build contract entail?

In simple terms, a design-build contract is a project delivery method where a single contractor, the design-build contractor, assumes full responsibility for the entire project. This includes design, execution, quality assurance, health and safety (HSE), communication, scheduling, and final delivery.

The awarded contract will be based on NS 8407, a standard contract for design-build projects in Norway. This contract governs the rights and obligations between the client and the design-build contractor. The contractor must ensure that all work complies with applicable laws, regulations, and the contract’s requirements.

As the client, the NCA will closely monitor the contractor throughout the project to ensure all requirements and functionalities are met.