Suðuroyartunnilin

The Suðuroyartunnilin (Suðuroy Tunnel) is a proposed submerged fixed-link in the Faroe Islands, linking the island of Suðuroy to Sandoy. Currently all vehicles and cargo, and virtually all passenger traffic must use the ferry service.

Suðuroyartunnilin

Overview
Location	Suðuroy, Skúvoy and Sandoy, Faroe Islands
Status	Proposed
Operation
Opened	planned 2030
Traffic	Automotive
Toll	Yes
Technical
Length	ca. 25,000 m (82,000 ft)
No. of lanes	2
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)

Current situation

At present a ferry service operates between Krambatangi on central Suðuroy and the capital Tórshavn. The ferry is operated by the national transport company Strandfaraskip Landsins and uses the vessel Smyril, taking two hours each way. In 2019, on average 1,000 passengers (including the drivers) and 290 vehicles embarked the ferry per day.[1] The frequency is either twice or three times per day, though the service is regularly cancelled due to adverse weather and heavy seas, since the Suðuroyarfjørður strait acts as a funnel for winds, swell and tides. This also cancels out the viability of a shorter ferry route between Sandoy and Suðuroy.

In addition, there is a daily passenger ferry between Sandur and Skúvoy, up to five per day, of which most trips need to be reserved in advance.[2] The island is also served by the thrice-weekly helicopter service between Tórshavn and Stóra Dímun. This helicopter connects twice-weekly onwards to Suðuroy, forming the only scheduled link between Suðuroy and any other of the southern islands.

On Sandoy, the Sandoyartunnilin will connect the southern islands to Tórshavn and the rest of the country when it opens in 2023. It will replace the ferry service between Skopun and Gamlarætt.[3]

Project

The calls for a fixed link to Suðuroy emerged after the success of the two earliest sub-sea tunnels in the Faroe Islands, the Vága- and Norðoyatunnilin in 2002 and 2006 respectively. The idea was further popularised with the construction of the Eysturoyar- and Sandoyartunnilin, which are under construction and to be completed in 2021 and 2023 respectively.[4],[3]

Rather than a single tunnel between Suðuroy and Sandoy, public works authority Landsverk proposes to divide the link in three sections, coming to the surface twice. Landsverk's preferred scenario is:[5][6]

Section	Length km | mi		Villages	Comments
Sandoy-Skúvoy	7.5	4.7	The villages Sandur and Skúvoy	The tunnel can either start in Sandur village, or farther away, adding some 0.5 km to the length. Another alternative is a tunnel, bridge or causeway from Skarvanes, at circa 4.5 km in length. This would require widening of 6.5 km of Sandoy's roads.[7] The plan to have a direct tunnel between Dalur and Suðuroy was dropped.
Skúvoy-Suðuroy	17	11	The villages Skúvoy and Sandvík	The central section of the Suðuroyartunnilin
Widening or replacement of the Sandvíkartunnilin	1.5–2.0	0.93–1.24	The villages Sandvík and Hvalba	The existing Sandvíkartunnilin is a 1.5 km one-lane tunnel with a limited clearance of 3,2 m[8]

The total length of the first two sections is 24.5 kilometres, will cost 3.4 billion Danish krones[5],[6] and is to be completed in 2030[9] [10]. A scenario without a stop at Skúvoy would be slightly cheaper, but would require the continuation of the existing ferry and helicopter services. Cutting the tunnels in multiple sections has the additional advantage that the two shorter sections can do without emergency tubes parallel to the car tunnel. The replacement of the Sandvíkartunnilin is necessary to accommodate modern-day requirements, as has already been done with the similar replacement of the Hvalbiartunnilin. Doubts exist concerning the financial viability of the project.[11]

Between 2018 and 2019, several samples have been drilled to study the bedrock geology. In 2020, 5 million Danish krones have been used on seismic analysis, test drills and a financial viability study.[12]

See also

• List of tunnels of the Faroe Islands

References

1. "Hagtøl". SSL.
2. "66 Sandur - Skúvoy". SSL.
3. "Sandoyartunnilin". Eystur- og Sandoyatunlar.
4. "Eysturoyartunnilin letur møguliga ikki upp fyrr enn tíðliga í 2021". dagur.fo.
5. "Suðuroyartunnil eigur at koma upp í Skúgvoy". http.
6. "Info" (PDF). www.landsverk.fo. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
7. "Kortal". www.kortal.fo.
8. "Tunlar" Check |url= value (help). http.
9. "Samferðsluætlanin 2018-2030" Check |url= value (help). http.
10. "Minister: Suðuroy tunnel ready in 2030". Kringvarp Føroya (in Faroese). 5 February 2020.
11. "Greining: Suðuroyartunnilin loysir seg ikki búskaparliga". dimma.fo.
12. partner (www.knassar.com), Knassar-the new media web. "Jørgen Niclasen hevur svarað Bjarna Hammer viðvíkjandi Suðuroyartunlinum". jn.fo.