The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

Finnish rock and ground tool supplier Robit is exhibiting the first models in its new NS casing advance system at this week’s Intermat exhibition in Paris. NS stands for non-stop, because the cycle is completed with a single pass of the drill string using a single rotary head. The casing is advanced to the required depth, and the pilot and ring bit are then continued beyond the casing. Applications include anchoring, piling and underpinning, as well as water and thermal drilling. For more, visit www.robit.fi. 18/09.

According to the EuroTAP inspectors, the European Tunnel Assessment Programme (EuroTAP) carried out this year produced a sensational result, all of the 13 tubes tested in Croatia, Spain, Switzerland and Germany, received positive ratings. Nine tunnels received a Very Good rating, three were rated Good and even the worst candidate this year received an Acceptable rating.

IPS has signed a cooperation agreement for tunnelling activities with Albert Lederer of EF Consult Asia PTE Ltd to bring closer together two professional companies involved in the tunnelling industry. The new association offers greater opportunities in the tunnelling sector, with the potential for expansion into other fields of civil engineering. IPS strategy is to continue expansion of its tunnelling related market share by increased geographical coverage of the tunnelling hotspots of the world. The advanced network capabilities brought by the cooperation with EF Consult Asia are vital to civil engineering projects, and tunnelling in particular, where both companies are now able to offer an enhanced range of services and backup to tunnelling contractors and manufacturers. More from tunnel@ipspersonnel.com 16/09.

The White Paper on transport policy in Italy requires a halving of road victims by 2010, as a result of which the automobile club ACI and roads agency ANAS have signed a partnership agreement to raise the active and passive standards for road safety.

Colombia to host technical seminar on tunnels The Colombian Government has approved the financing of more than 70 km of new tunnels, closing gaps in the national highway network and facilitating access to remote regions of the country. Together with this initiative, the technological upgrading of existing government and concession operated tunnels is planned.

Atkins has been appointed by Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation Limited to carry out both the preliminary design of the North-South Line (NSL) element of their Shatin to Central Link (SCL) project and the detailed design for the southern section of the Express Rail Link, tunnels and associated structures project. Atkins is also part of the team appointed to carry out the preliminary design of the East-West Line, which forms the other part of the SCL project.

DMT, a provider of technology services based in Essen, Germany is contributing to the feasibility study for a new hydroelectric plant near Vrelo in Bosnia Herzegovina to be funded by KfW, the German Reconstruction Bank. A two month-long GPS-supported geodetic survey of the site, 70 km northwest of Mostar, will be carried out by DMT, who will also supply local companies with geodetic and geophysical measurement instruments. For further information contact Dagmar Jilleck at DMT in Essen, Germany, e-mail dagmar.jilleck@dmt.de, tel +49 201 172-1544, fax –1700. 15/09.

On 21.05.2006 the people of Montenegro voted for independence from Serbia, and the country is now a sovereign state and member of the UN, with EU candidate status expected this year. Having spent most of the 20th century with a managed economy as part of Yugoslavia, much of Montenegro’s infrastructure is dilapidated and in need of urgent reconstruction.

During the last two years, Australia has grown into one of the key markets for VMT GmbH worldwide. Huge infrastructure projects, such as the North-South Bypass Tunnel or the Airport Link in Brisbane, have driven expansion of the VMT presence in Australia to provide local support for the entire product range. For the upcoming Airport Link project VMT will deliver a total of 18 guidance systems to equip TBMs, roadheaders and bolters

The next ITA World Tunnel Congress (WTC 09), entitled Underground Space and Tunnelling: Planning with Vision, will be organized by the Hungarian Tunnelling Association for Budapest from 23rd to 28th May, 2009.

Line 1 of Seville metro opened on 02.04.2009 with 17 of 22 stations operating, from Ciudad Expo in Mairena del Aljarafe to Condequinto station at Dos Hermanas. For background to this project visit tunnelbuilder archive es/82. Visit www.metrodesevilla.org. 15/09.

McConnell Dowell & Fletcher Construction JV has reported early completion of the 2,953 m-long TBM drive for the Orakei Main Sewer Hobson Diversion (OMSHD), some 17 days ahead of schedule. The mixed face EPB averaged 132 m/week of bored and lined tunnel, with 146 m in the best week, beneath water table of up to 50 m. For more project history visit tunnelbuilder archive, click nz/14. Visit www.macdow.com.au and www.fletcherconstruction.co.nz. 15/09.

International Economic Stimulus Packages were identified as creating unprecedented opportunities for the tunnelling profession.Professor Arnold Dix, addressing the 3rd International China Tunnelling Conference identified the challenges and opportunities for the tunnelling profession globally.

At Turin metro, during the period 07.10.2008 to 12.03.2009, TBM Caterina completed excavation of the tunnel from Marconi station to Nizza station, and the 500 m-long tunnel from Nizza to Dante station. Infiltration of groundwater caused a stoppage just 10 m from Dante station, incurring a delay for additional sealing. For more click it/26. Visit www.metrotorino.it. 14/09

On 11.03.2009, after meeting serious challenges during the construction phase, the Herrenknecht S-319 12,980 mm-diameter, 3,200 Kw single shield TBM Simone broke through at the 2.15 km-long Raingruben tunnel on the Vienna to St. Polten railway in Austria. Raingruben is the last in the Perschling chain, a 6.3 km-long section of the new two-track Westbahn, which includes the Stierschweiffeld (2.857 km) and Reiseberg (1.327 km) tunnels, where tunnelling started in December, 2005. Geology is marl, sandstone and siltstone. The client is the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the contractor is Strabag, and ILF is responsible for the tunnel design, construction management and geotechnical engineering on site. Click at/34. Visit www.ilf.com, www.strabag.com and www.herrenknecht.com. 14/09.