Stad Skipstunnel
The world’s first fully scaled ship tunnel
Stad ship tunnel (Stad Skipstunnel) is a giant project lead by the Norwegian Coastal Administration with the goal of safer ship traffic past the exposed Stadlandet. The tunnel will be 2.2 kilometers long, 50 meters high and 36 meters wide, and will be the first fully scaled ship tunnel in the world. This means that vessels the size of the coastal routes can choose a safe voyage past Stad by using this tunnel.
Dangerous conditions
Stadhavet is the most weather-exposed and most dangerous stretch of sea along the Norwegian coast. With unpredictable waves and strong winds, conditions can create critical situations for ships passing by. Stad Skipstunnel will improve accessibility for sea transport, and not least the safety of guests and crew on board ships. The project has therefore been a matter of the heart for Havila for many years.
Security and tourism
Havila has worked for the realization of the Stad ship tunnel for years. In addition to increased safety for shipping, the Chairman of Havila Kystruten, Per Sævik, believes that tourism and the local communities will see positive effects of the project.
"For Havila Voyages, this will have two aspects, one is safety that everyone talks about, the other is that we get a new tourism experience that is quite unique in a world context. Properly handled, this opportunity will be the most important impetus for the local area to build up activity and tourism," says Sævik.
The benefits of the ship tunnel
The Norwegian Coastal Administration works to ensure that the Norwegian coast is the safest and cleanest in the world. These are important incentives that correspond to Havila Voyages's values. Projects such as the Stad Skipstunnel are important measures for realizing this work, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration summarizes three ways in which the ship tunnel will contribute to a safer, cleaner Norwegian coast:
- Increased safety at sea: Establishment of the Stad Skipstunnel reduces the risk of ship accidents, and thus strengthens the safety of maritime traffic at Stadlandet
- More efficiency: Stad Skipstunnnel reduces waiting time for shipping, thus increasing efficiency for sea transport of people and goods
- Better access: A safer and more efficient sailing past Stad facilitates more sea transport of goods, and can help strengthen business development
The tunnel entrance at Kjøde. (Illustration: Norwegian Coastal Administration/Snøhetta)
Einar Vik Arset, Director General at Norwegian Coastal Administration
“The Norwegian Coastal Administration is responsible for all digital and physical infrastructure along the Norwegian coast, which is the world's second longest after Canada. We are also the project owner for Stad Skipstunnel. This is a project that is well known to Havila, Havila Shipping and Havila Voyages, who have all worked for the realization of this project for many years, says Coastal Director at the Norwegian Coastal Administration,” Einar Vik Arset.
“Stad Skipstunnel is primarily a sea safety measure. Now this will be "smooth sailing" through Stad Skipstunnel and I think it will be an experience in itself,” Arset concludes.
Can become Western Norway's Northern Cape
Per Sævik believes that the market significance of a ship tunnel at Stad cannot be valued highly enough, both for the tourism industry and the local community.
"The tunnel, Selja monastery and the Stadt plateau, can in my opinion be Western Norway's North Cape. So here are unique opportunities right handled. In terms of the market, the Stad ship tunnel can hardly be valued highly enough for the significance it can have," Per Sævik concludes.
Westcape, Stadt plateau (©CC licence)
Selja monastery (©CC licence)