First section of Fehmarn Belt tunnel lowered into place

The first of 89 massive concrete tunnel segments for the under-construction Fehmarn Belt link has been lowered onto the seabed, Danish broadcaster DR reports. The milestone marks a key step in the long-planned immersed tunnel connecting Denmark and Germany.

Construction manager Anders Wede of Sund & Bælt, the state-owned company overseeing the project, called the operation a major achievement after 15 years of preparation. “This has been a long time coming,” Wede said, noting that the tunnel remains years away from completion.

The 18-kilometre immersed tunnel, set to become the world’s longest of its kind, will consist of 79 standard elements and 10 special elements. Each prefabricated segment is being produced at a dedicated factory in Rødbyhavn before being transported and submerged in a dredged trench across the Fehmarn Belt.