A delegation from the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee and members of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport late last month met with the Danish transport minister Henrik Dam Kristensen and representatives of Femernbelt Fixed Link promoter Femern to discuss the project. The visitors were welcomed by Secretary of State Tamara Zieschang and mayor Otto-Uwe Schmiedt.
Transport minister Kristensen showed the visitors from Brussels the future location of the construction site for the tunnel, which will connect Germany and Denmark. An alignment east of the major ferry ports is the preferred option. The exact alignment will only be determined once official approval in Denmark and Germany is in place. In Denmark, this will take the form of a Construction Act passed by Folketinget, the Danish parliament, most likely towards the end of 2014. In Germany, final approval is expected to be in place around the turn of the year 2014/2015. Until then, some modifications could still occur within the 1,200m broad corridor.
A spokesman from Femern said, “The official reception by Danish transport minister Henrik Dam Kristensen was then held on site. Tamara Zieschang, reported on dialogue with residents in the region via the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link Dialogue Forum, while Leo Larsen, CEO of Femern, gave an overview of the project’s current status. Technical director Steen Lykke and project director Claus Dynesen were available to answer questions of interest from the members of parliament and commission representatives.”
