NEWS |


Report advances studies for Shetland tunnels UK - Campaigners calling for tunnel connections in the Shetland Islands recently published a pre-seismic study report. The report, published by Unst and Yell


Tunnel Action Groups, follows site visits in Shetland in mid-2025, and reviews earlier feasibility investigations of subsea rock tunnels across Bluemull Sound and Yell Sound. It also sets out the groundwork for the crucial next step – seismic surveys. The pre-seismic work was carried out


by Norconsult, which designed the subsea tunnels in the Faroe Islands, as well as many in Norway. The report reviews previous geological studies, carried out between 2000 and 2002, which included seabed surveys and geological mapping. These studies identified potential challenges, including sediment layers, rock quality variations, and fault lines. Based on updated international best practice and site visits, Norconsult has now produced new indicative alignments with a gentler slope of 5% (compared to 8% in older studies). This change lengthens the tunnels but


makes them more suitable for modern design standards and future transport use. Meanwhile, Stantec and Cowi are


to develop a fixed link model for the Shetland Islands Council and the UK Parliament’s Scottish Affairs Committee is looking at the strategic and economic case for improved fixed transport links between Scotland’s islands.


Tunnelling start on Oman-UAE rail OMAN, UAE - Tunnelling works have commenced for the Oman-UAE Joint Railway Network. Hafeet Rail, the project’s developer and operator announced in October that drill and blast work was underway at the tunnel portals in the Al-Hajar Mountains. At the same time, the project is progressing


with earthworks and the construction of other key infrastructure, including 881 culverts and 57 bridges, some of which are up to 34m high. The US$3 billion project is to connect Sohar Port to the UAE national rail network. The 238km-long route will include 2.5km of tunnels.


Silica Worker Register launched by NSW AUSTRALIA - The Government of New South Wales has launched a Silica Worker Register to monitor and track the health of at-risk workers undertaking high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances.


8 | January 2026


Silica dust-induced diseases such as


silicosis, are caused by inhalation of very fine crystalline silica dust particles, with workers at greatest risk in the tunnelling, mining and construction, and engineered stone industries. Companies will be required to register


all workers within 28 days from the date the person starts work. In 2024, the Australian Workers Union


warned of a potential silicosis health problems related to tunnelling. The NSW Government set up a Tunnelling Dust Safety Taskforce to help address silica-related health risks for tunnel workers. It also established a silica unit within SafeWork NSW which includes a Silica Compliance Team to enforce strengthened regulations, including visits to sites conducting high- risk CSS processing. Since January 2024 more than 100 site inspections have been undertaken in tunnelling sites in the Sydney metro area. Since 2018, SafeWork NSW inspectors have conducted more than 5,200 workplace visits related to silica. SafeWork NSW has issued 2,496


improvement notices, 181 prohibition notices and 33 penalty notices related to silica dust across industries.


Further study step for Spain-Morocco tunnel SPAIN - Spanish engineering firm Ineco has been commissioned to conduct a study for an exploratory tunnel to help examine the feasibility of a major rail link to run under the Strait between Spain and Morocco. According to reports in Spanish media,


the US$1 million contract will establish a detailed technical roadmap for the project. Ineco’s scope of work includes the


preliminary design of the exploratory tunnel, revisions to previous studies, and a comprehensive update of the route, geology, geotechnical conditions, security systems, terminals and associated installations. The study is expected to be completed by August 2026. Separately, and earlier, Herrenknecht was


contracted to undertake a drilling feasibility study. The Spanish government revived the Morocco-Spain undersea rail link in mid- 2024, after allocating about $2.5m for a renewed design study. The project, originally launched in 2003, was put on hold following the 2008 global financial crisis. The proposed design includes a double-


track railway and a service tunnel extending 38.5km between Tarifa in Spain and Tangier in Morocco. Of this, 28km would run beneath the Mediterranean Sea at a maximum depth


of 475m. Each single-track tunnel would have an inner diameter of 7.9m, while the service gallery would be 6m in diameter. The project is being jointly developed


by Morocco’s National Society for Strait of Gibraltar Studies and Spain’s Sociedad Espanola de Estudios para la Comunicacion Fija a Traves del Estrecho de Gibraltar. In 2006, Swiss engineering firm Lombardi


Engineering was selected to design the tunnel. Preliminary studies were completed two years later. This news article was first reported by T&TI’s sister publication, MEED.


Breakthrough on Sotra Link tunnel NORWAY - Just over six months after the first blast was fired, breakthrough was made on the eastbound section of Sotra Link’s Knarrvika tunnel in mid-October. The approximately 650m-long Knarrvika


twin tunnel runs between Valaskiftet, at the landfall of the new Sotra Bridge and Arefjordpollen on Sotra. It is the shortest of the four tunnels on the connection between Bergen and Sotra. With cast-in-place portals at both ends, it will be 748m long when completed. The first tunnel required 176 blasts to


achieve breakthrough and around 366 in total will be used for both tunnels. The Sotra Link features a total of 12.5km


of tunnels. Kolltveit Tunnel was completed in April 2024 and the Straume Tunnel in June 2025. The project’s longest tunnel is 2km-long Drotningsvik Tunnel. The new road is scheduled to open to traffic in June 2027.


Dublin Airport tunnel contract award IRELAND - A Sacyr Ireland Ltd and Wills Bros Ltd joint venture has won the contract to build Dublin Airport’s new West Apron Vehicle Underpass. Dublin Airport operator DAA awarded


the contract under an Airfield and Landside Civil Works Framework (Lot 2) agreement. The project, which is scheduled for


completion by August 2030, involves the construction of a 1.1km twin-cell tunnel connecting Pier 3 at Dublin Airport to the West Apron. The underpass will provide a dedicated,


segregated route for airside vehicles – such as cargo operators, fuel bowsers, tugs, loaders, steps, and catering trucks – between the remote West Apron and the Eastern Campus, where most airport services and facilities are located.


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