Femern has launched a tender for the construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel tracks, with an expected tender price of around DKK 1.5 billion (EUR 201.6 million).
This is the last of the major contracts for the construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel to Germany and concerns a 25 km railway section equipped with a catenary system and with a focus on climate-friendly solutions.
The tender, known as the TTC (Tunnel Track and Catenary) contract comprises a 200 km/h double-track railway, as well as overhead contact lines, of which about 18 km are in the tunnel and about 7 km beyond it on the Danish and German sides.
The tender starts with a pre-qualification, with the objective of getting the best and most appropriate bidders on board and providing optimal competition. The pre-qualification is expected to take place this summer followed by tender negotiations that will be carried out until the end of 2024, when the contract will be awarded.
The initial work on the Fehmarnbelt tunnel tracks is expected to commence in 2025.
Femern’ tender requirements include that the tenderer must have a significant annual turnover and solvency ratio as well as documented experience in carrying out similar tasks. In addition, there are timetable expectations, fulfilment of CSR requirements and climate-friendly solutions.
Femern A/S conducted a market survey in 2022 to ensure the best possible tender. This included the industry being consulted to obtain the latest knowledge on sustainable solutions.
At the same time, it was an indication to the market to come together and create potential consortia for the task, said Kirsten Christensen, Contract Director at Femern A/S, with responsibility for the railway installations.
“Based on the information that was returned during the market survey, we’re anticipating that several well-known international players will bid for the contract. We look forward to completing the tender and finding the best possible partner for this key task in the overall project,” Kirsten Christensen said.
A tunnel portal is built in both Denmark near Rødbyhavn and in Germany near Puttgarden. The portals connect the tunnel’s railway and motorway with the upgraded and newly built roads and railways in the hinterland.
Work on the construction pit for the tunnel portal on the Danish side started in 2020 and on the German side in 2021. Work on the tunnel portal started in 2022.
In 2022, Femern and Sice-Cobra consortium signed a EUR 535 million contract for tunnel electromechanical installations covering ventilation, lighting and safety systems.
Fehmarnbelt tunnel is scheduled to be completed in 2029 when trains will run between Rødbyhavn and Puttgarden in seven minutes, and cars in 10 minutes avoiding the current detour of approximately 160 km. Road users and train passengers will save about one hour each way compared to the ferry crossing.
The 18 km tunnel built with 89 tunnel elements has a value of DKK 55.1 billion (EUR 7.4 billion).
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