The vessel tasked with transporting and submerging the large components of the future Fehmarnbelt tunnel has passed its tests and will commence operations later this spring. In total, IVY will have to complete 88 journeys to place all elements.
The 18-kilometre tunnel will create a new rail and road link between Denmark and Germany and be part of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean TEN-T Corridor, one of the most important rail freight axes in Europe. “IVY has now passed all tests, and we look forward to FLC beginning the immersion of the first tunnel element later this spring”, said Lasse Vester, Deputy Contract Director at Sund & Bælt which owns the infrastructure.
The vessel
The vessel IVY is made up of two units, IVY 1 and IVY 2. For the longer elements (217 metres), “each end is securely attached to IVY 1 and 2, which provide buoyancy”, a note from the official website of the project explained.
For the shorter special components (39 metres), the two units are put together to form one vessel. IVY will also feature 23 kilometres of steel wire spread over 66 winches. This allows it to submerge elements 40 metres below the water with high precision. While the vessel was being tested, the bed of the sea was made ready to welcome the structures of the tunnel.
This month, IVY will be taken near the Danish entrance of the tunnel and the elements will be loaded with ballast to make sure they sink. “IVY 1 and 2 will then transport the element to the trench and immerse it in a controlled and precise operation”, the Femern note added.
The Fehmarnbelt tunnel
The project for a tunnel under the Fehmarn Strait was officially approved by the Danish government in 2011. Construction started in 2021 with initial estimates of 5,1 billion euros, but it has now increased to roughly 7,5 billion euros. Other than rising costs, the project also experienced delays. The commissioning of the tunnel was planned for 2029, but it is now postponed by two years.
