“The partners in the STRING network are delighted that another important step towards the establishment of the fixed link under the Fehmarnbelt link has been taken today,” says STRING Chair Thomas Hansson, Region Scania.
“Although German environmental approval and actual construction permission are still pending with the German authorities, the strong political support for the project in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the EU shows that the project has high priority. The Danish political parties behind the Fehmarnbelt fixed link have shown their full support for, and confidence in, the Fehmarnbelt fixed link, even before German regulatory approval is granted. Their decision that the client, Femern A/S, is now able to enter into conditional contracts with the preferred suppliers, is a strong expression of the political position,” comments the STRING Chair.
“With Femern A/S’ choice of construction consortia – consisting of three Danish-European partnerships, including leading Danish and German contractors – we’re assured of local knowledge, good understanding of the labour market and high quality work. It also testifies to the type of project it is – a Danish-led mega project of European scale. The consortia encompass worldwide expertise in sustainable construction work and logistics with the utmost regard for the environment on land and at sea. It’s highly gratifying,” says Jens Stenbæk, Vice-Chairman of STRING and Chair of the Regional Council, Region Zealand.
“We also welcome the initiatives on both sides of the Fehmarnbelt, which have already been implemented to encourage local and regional small and medium-sized enterprises to bid for tasks linked to the construction, he said.
“In short, it’s good to have come this far. With an expected opening of the link in 2028, the process is obviously a lengthy one. But cross-border cooperation for sustainable growth, jobs, a new and greener infrastructure and the environment in the STRING corridor between Hamburg and Scania is already well underway. And this work has now been boosted by positive expectations and optimism,” add Thomas Hansson and Jens Stenbæk.
