Work has begun on the world’s longest underwater tunnel: the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, set to become an 18km-long connection between the Danish island of Lolland and the German island of Fehmarn.
The German government originally approved the plans for construction in February 2019 after a seven-year delay, and work began on the Danish side in January 2022. German contractors also began work on the tunnel earlier this year. The tunnel is northern Europe’s largest construction project.
It will carry a four-lane highway and two electric rail tracks.
A trip by ferry between the islands currently takes an hour, but the new tunnel will reduce travel time to seven minutes at speeds of up to 200km/h.
The DKK42bn (R93,72bn) project should be complete by 2029.
