SWECO report raises safety concerns over Suðuroy Tunnel project in Faroe Islands

The international consultancy firm SWECO has released a report evaluating the safety of the Suðuroy Tunnel project, currently under consideration.

The report is a critical assessment of the risk analysis that serves as the basis for the cost estimates associated with the tunnel. According to SWECO, the solution proposed by the firm Norconsult for the Suðuroy Tunnel partnership is unacceptable and fails to meet the criteria for a zero-vision—a safety principle aimed at ensuring that individuals can self-evacuate in the event of a fire.

Furthermore, there are concerns that Norconsult, which is responsible for the tunnel’s design, intentionally selects specific scenarios concerning fire that could lead to a pre-determined outcome in their risk assessment. The risk analysis allows for a solution that is significantly cheaper than what would typically be required for a tunnel of such length; alternatives like an escape tunnel, safety chambers, or an evacuation route behind a fire wall are seen as necessary but not included.

Teitur Samuelsen, Managing Director of the Suðuroy Tunnel partnership, spoke about these issues in a recent appearance. The discussions surrounding the tunnel’s safety protocols and design considerations are pivotal as the project progresses.

Overall, the concerns raised in SWECO’s report highlight the ongoing debate over safety standards in infrastructure projects in the region.