| NEWS
Double breakthrough on Naples-Bari line ITALY - Excavation has been completed on two tunnels on the high-speed Naples-Bari railway line. The breakthrough at the final diaphragm
of the Telese Tunnel connects the two excavation fronts of the tunnel. Work on the Frasso Telesino–Telese
section includes doubling and speeding up an 11km-long stretch of the line, along with the construction of two new stops at Amorosi and Telese. ATI consortium, comprising Ghella,
Pizzarotti, Itinera, Salcef, and EDS Infrastrutture, completed the works for rail owner and operator Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. Excavation has also been completed on
the 150m-long Reventa Tunnel – the first breakthrough of the seven tunnels on the Telese–San Lorenzo Maggiore–Vitulano section. This part of the project the Telese Consortium of Ghella, Itinera, Salcef, and Coget Impianti is doubling and upgrading a 19km-long stretch of the historic line and the construction of three new stops at Solopaca, San Lorenzo, and Ponte Casalduni. The new Naples–Bari high speed/
high-capacity line, worth around is one of FS Group’s strategic projects to improve mobility in southern Italy. The first section, Bovino–Cervaro, has been operational since 2017. The project will speed up connections
between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts, improving links between Puglia and inland areas of Campania with the Naples–Rome– Milan high-speed backbone.
NSW audits tunnelling companies on silica safety AUSTRALIA - The Government of New South Wales is auditing major tunnelling projects in Sydney and across the state to ensure workers are being protected from silica dust exposure. SafeWork NSW’s specialist silica
compliance team is auditing the silica management systems of contractors delivering six construction projects involving tunnels, including the Sydney Metro West, Western Harbour Tunnel, Coffs Harbour Bypass and Snowy 2.0. The silica management audit involves
inspections to scrutinise the systems that monitor air quality and prevent silica exposure for workers. This includes engineering controls, water suppression, ventilation and extraction systems to
remove dust, and work, health and safety policies and procedures. Audits will continue until the end of June. Under the Work Health and Safety Act,
SafeWork NSW can issue improvement and prohibition notices for non-compliance. A full investigation may also take place
which could lead to prosecution where the evidence supports a breach to the criminal standard. If a shutdown in production occurs
because of compliance failures, contractors will be required to foot the bill.
Dubai tenders first two lots of sewerage tunnels UAE - Dubai Municipality has issued the request for proposals for the first two contracts of the US$22 billion Dubai Strategic Sewerage Tunnels (DSST) project. At least four companies have
prequalified as lead members of potential consortiums that can bid for the contracts. T&TI’s sister publication, MEED, previously
reported that the firms that have been prequalified as lead members for the project’s four main tunnels and links packages include: Ajman-based Etihad Water & Electricity (EW&E); a team comprising Japan’s Itochu and Australian investment firm Plenary; and, Saudi Arabia’s Vision Invest. Belgium’s Besix is also understood to
be among those prequalified to bid as a developer lead member. According to industry sources, the
Plenary-Itochu consortium will likely include Samsung C&T and Webuild. MEED previously reported that the
engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) team of Abu Dhabi’s National Marine Dredging Company and India’s Afcons Infrastructure, and separately PowerChina, are understood to be engaged in final talks with either the Vision Invest or Etihad Water & Electricity consortiums, although it had also been suggested that Vision Invest and EW&E could bid as one team. The same source said that Japan’s
Marubeni and Saudi Arabia’s AlJomaih Water & Energy might also still be considering bidding for the contracts. MEED understands bids are due at the end of September for packages J1 and W.
Last start on Eglinton Crosstown West Extension CANADA - The Government of Ontario has broken ground on the final tunnel segment of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, in Toronto.
The 500m-long twin tunnels on the
line’s eastern section will be built using the sequential excavation method (SEM), advancing 1-2m per day. The tunnels will run just east of Jane
Street to Mount Dennis Station, where the extension will connect to the future Eglinton Crosstown LRT service. Once complete, Toronto’s 9km-long
Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will connect seven new stations to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, making travel faster and more convenient, while bringing more than 37,500 people within a 10-minute walk of transit facilities. Minister of Transportation, Prabmeet
Sarkaria, said the government had a plan to tackle gridlock and shorten commutes for drivers and public transit users in the Greater Toronto area. Over the next decade Ontario is investing
nearly Can$70 billion (US$51.3 billion) in public transit, which includes the largest subway expansion in Canadian history, covering the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
Witteveen+Bos buys Maidl Tunnelconsultants THE NETHERLANDS - Dutch consultancy and engineering firm Witteveen+Bos has acquired Germany-based Maidl Tunnelconsultants (MTC). MTC is a specialist consultant in
underground infrastructure, tunnel engineering, and tunnel boring technology. Witteveen+Bos said the acquisition
strengthens its capabilities and expertise, and extends its services, in the infrastructure sector. Leonie Koops, business line director of
Witteveen+Bos, said the two companies have “known each other for decades.” She added: “Our collaboration dates back
to the North-South Line, one of the most complex and prestigious infrastructure projects in The Netherlands.” “Also, our own expertise on bored
tunnels primarily relates to soft soils with high groundwater levels, whereas MTC’s bored tunnel expertise covers all possible scenarios,” she said. The companies plan for the strategic
acquisition to create more business opportunities internationally as well as domestically. The plan is for the name Maidl
Tunnelconsultants is to be retained as a business unit.
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