Feb 18 | 2021
(Europe) 18-kilometer Baltic Tunnel
Cargo shipping line Blue Water has started breakbulk transport and installation of tunnel sections for the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, connecting Denmark and Germany.
The project involves delivery of a number of outsized components for the 18-kilometer tunnel, connecting Rødbyhavn in Denmark with the Puttgarden on the German island of Fehmarn.
"We are open for new business. As always, local knowledge forms the foundation for our business, and that is why we can create unique solutions. We are pleased to be a part of this phenomenal project,” said Søren Stougaard, general manager Blue Water.
Project Delays
The company established Femern Belt Services in 2011, along with the Femern Belt Suppliers partnership, to oversee project delivery, but progress to date has been slow.
“The project has been relevant for Blue Water for 10 years, so we are looking forward to getting on with business. The delay is caused by objections from both German and Danish side, which have put the project on hold several times, because the objections had to be legally processed in both countries,” a spokesperson for Blue Water said.
The link is now is expected to be completed in 2029, and will be one of the most expensive construction projects in Danish history.
“It will be the world’s longest immersed tunnel for both cars and trains, and it will take 10 minutes by car and seven minutes by train between Denmark and Germany. The tunnel is to be operated climate friendly by green power and with focus on energy efficiency and future-proof solutions,” Blue Water said.
(See related coverage on the Fehmarnbelt project, "Breaking Records in the Baltic," in Breakbulk Issue 1 / 2021.)
Blue Water operates 55 offices in more than 26 countries worldwide, and is headquartered in Esbjerg on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. The firm is a global event partner for Breakbulk exhibitions.
Reefer Acquisition
Blue Water also recently announced the acquisition of J. Lauritzen’s Eftf’s thermo activities, expanding its capacity for road transport and rail solutions of food products between Italy, Benelux and Scandinavia.
“Our position will be strengthened and our existing traffics supplemented in an optimum manner. We look forward to the enhancement of our possibility for a rail solution, which we expect will become an even more popular transport method in the future due to its climate compatibility compared to traditional road transport,” said Bent Rasmussen, director for Blue Water’s reefer road division.
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