World’s first ship tunnel will stretch 1.7km under mountain in Norway

The world’s first ship tunnel is set to be excavated beneath a Norwegian mountain.

Measuring an expected 1.7 kilometres, the Stad tunnel will allow sailors to bypass a notorious section of the Stadhavet Sea – which has claimed 33 lives in the past 70 years and experiences 100 storm days each year, according to reports.

But the tunnel will not provide a faster route than the current option, just a safer one.

Construction on the tunnel – which will allow large vessels to pass through – is expected to begin in 2018 and cost NZ $460 million.

Dimensions for the tunnel vary according to reports, but a diagram provided by the Norwegian Coastal Administration, the group responsible for the project, say it will be 37 metres tall, 36m wide and have a water depth of 12m.

Excavating the tunnel will require the removal of about 3m cubic metres of rock, according to gCaptain.

Construction is to be carried out with standard blasting and drilling methods and is estimated to be completed in 2029, but could take longer.

An overhead bridge for tourists in the tunnel has also been proposed, according to gCaptain.

As well as providing a safer route for ships, the tunnel is expected to boost shipping, fishing and tourism industries.

Politician Bjørn Lødemel said the tunnel would lay the foundation for industrial and regional development and create a world-class tourist destination, as well as shift transport from road to sea, Norwegian news outlet NRK reported

The tunnel’s construction had support from all the country’s major political parties, it was reported.