The work is scheduled to begin in mid-October and be completed by the end of the year. Two buildings will be demolished at Eidsstranda in Moldefjorden, 15 in Kjøde and one at Sneide/Kjøde.
“This will be some of the first visible construction activity in the area. The demolition is necessary to prepare the sites before the main construction work on the Stad Ship Tunnel begins,” said project manager Jarle Strand.
Five companies tendered for the demolition contract. AF Decom submitted the lowest bid and also scored highest on climate and environmental measures.
“We received consistently strong bids and there was good competition. It is important to us that the work is carried out efficiently and that we facilitate as much reuse and recycling of materials as possible,” said Strand.
NCA has also signed a contract with Telemark Seaworx for the installation of approximately 12km of subsea pipelines to supply water to the portal areas of the Stad Ship Tunnel.
The pipelines will run from Åheim to the portal area in Kjøde and from Moldestad in Moldefjorden to the southern portal area at Eidsstranda. The project will also include several landfall points and valve houses along the routes.
The pipelines will provide water to the portal sites and connect areas that currently do not have access to a municipal water supply.
“This is a good example of how the construction of the Stad Ship Tunnel can provide lasting benefits beyond the tunnel project itself. Once the tunnel has been completed, the plan is to extend the water pipeline through the tunnel and connect the water supply systems on either side. This will allow the water supply systems in Stad and Vanylven to serve as back-up for each other,” said Strand.
Work on the water pipelines will begin in October and is scheduled for completion by April 2027.
In January, the NCA awarded the main design and build contract awarded to AF Gruppen and construction of the ship tunnel itself is scheduled to begin in January next year.
The tunnel will be the world’s first full-scale tunnel for ships. It will be 1.7km long, 50m high and 36m wide and will provide vessels up to the size of the coastal lines Hurtigruten and Kystruten a safe passage through the Stadhavet Sea.
