The vertical shaft sinking machine, Verena, has completed the Gravesend shaft and now passes the baton to TBM Caroline to excavate the new cable tunnel under the River Thames.
Verena, which was launched[https://www.tunnelsandtunnelling.com/news/europes-largest-vertical-shaft-machine-launched-in-the-uk/?cf-view] by Ferrovial BEMO JV in September last year, is the largest VSM in Europe.
The Grain to Tilbury electricity upgrade project is a critical part of National Grid’s The Great Grid Upgrade. It involves the construction of a 2.2km-long high-voltage (400kV) cable tunnel which will be excavated using a Herrenknecht mix shield TBM. UK energy minister Michael Shanks cut the ribbon
