The first of two huge TBMs whirred into life last month, marking the start of two contracts on the first section of the US$2.4bn, 43km long Barcelona Metro Line 9 project.
The 11.9m diameter NFM–Wirth dual mode TBM started boring a 4km tunnel on 20 June. The machine is operated by the Linea 9 JV, comprising FCC/Ferrovial-Agroman/OHL/Copcosa y Copisa. The US$351.8M contract includes 4km from Can Zam Station to Can Peixauet Station, then, after transferring the TBM, 9.4km from Zona Universitaria Station to Sagrera Station.
By the end of June, the UTE Gorg JV – Dragados/Nesco/ACS/Comsa y Sorigué – was completing the assembly of the 12m diameter Herrenknecht EPB TBM on the US$265.4M contract. It will tunnel 4km from Gorg Station to Segrera Station, then after reassembly, the 5.5km from Zona Franca to Zona Universitaria.
The client, GISA, is due to issue ten more contracts, involving 11km of 8.4m i.d. tunnels.
