May 22 saw the breakthrough of the 4.5km long Poza Honda-Mancha Grande water tunnel in the Manabi province of Ecuador. Brazilian contractor Odebrecht used a 4m diameter Robbins TBM to tunnel through the predominantly uniform Mudstone. Odebrecht has set an outstanding drive progress rate, having bored the 4km tunnel in just three months, working a 24h/day, seven day week. See next months news for a more extensive story on the achievement.
