Femern A/S, the company responsible for overseeing the construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel between Denmark and Germany activates the main construction contracts with Femern Link Contractors (FLC) with effect from 1 January 2021. This means that construction of the large scale tunnel element factory at Rødbyhavn can get underway.

The total cost of the 18 kilometer long tunnel is estimated to be 58 billion kroner. It is financed the same way Denmark financed other similar big tunnel projects like the one between Denmark and Sweden: it will be paid back by commuters in 36 years.

The tunnel will be an immersed tunnel. Concrete parts will be built on the shore and then shipped to the sea to be submerged. In some placed it will be running as deep as 39 meters. Fehmarnbelt tunnel is a combined car and train tunnel. It will have two train tubes and two double-lane tubes for motor vehicles.

If all goes fine, the tunnel will be in use by the commuters as early as 2029. Going from one shore to another will be as short as 7 minutes by train and 10 minutes by car.

In truth, the construction will only start on the Danish side. Because on German side the legal proceedings by environmentalist opposition are still continuing. Depending on the outcome, there may be design changes on the German side. On Danish side, the ferry companies had called faul play for competition rules citing Danish government's support for the project but lost the legal battle at European Commission twice, clearing the way for the start of the construction, at least for now, on the Danish side.

Femern A/S released the following press release:

Femern A/S initiates construction phase for the Fehmarnbelt tunnel

04-24-20

Femern A/S is activating the main construction contracts with Femern Link Contractors (FLC) with effect from 1 January 2021. This means that construction of the large scale tunnel element factory at Rødbyhavn can get underway.