Tunnel boring in Świnoujście is drawing near

TBM’s basic elements, such as the bearing, the main drive, shield part components and the machine front – the cutter disc - have already been lowered and assembled in the launching shaft. The boring head, which is 13 metre long in diameter and weighs 280 tonnes, was assembled in the middle of January, which marked a symbolic milestone in the machine assembly related works. That part, as well as a set of auxiliary devices, which has already been lowered into the shaft, the TBM’s lining and the TBM’s shield tail, will bore a tunnel under the Świna Strait.

The next stage of the boring machine preparation works consists in putting together the elements of the mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, IT systems and those responsible for excavation material transportation into a functional unit. According to the time schedule, machine assembly works will be finished at the end of February. After assembly, the TBM will be the biggest machine of its kind to have been used in Poland – it will be 100 metre long and weigh 2740 tonnes.

Drilling the longest underwater crossing in Poland

At the beginning of March, the machine will undergo test runs. After their successful completion, TBM will start drilling the tunnel under the Świna Strait. The machine will perform automated tunnel boring by means of a rotating disc, leaving a ready-made 13-metre wide tunnel with a circular cross-section behind (the diameter of the disc alone is 13.5 m). As drilling work progresses, the TBM will be installing individual tunnel casing segments while disposing of the excavated tunnel material.

In September 2021, the TBM is supposed to break through the exit shaft on Wolin Island. Then, it will be disassembled. As per contract, the tunnel will be put into service in September 2022. In total, the new route will be ca. 3.4 km long covering a 1.4-km-long basic section – the tunnel drilled under the Świna Strait. 

Facts and figures in a nutshell