Two TBMs commissioned from NFM

French Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) manufacturer NFM has secured two new contracts worth a total of €40 million, including one that it claims will become the largest TBM ever built in France.

This giant machine will be a 15.08m diameter, 100m long TBM weighing 3,200 tonnes. NFM plans to manufacture the TBM for contractors Cooperativa Muratori Cementisti Ravena (CMC) and Tecnis to support construction of two tunnels, each 3.9km long, as part of a roadbuilding project in Sicily.

NFM said he order included the design, manufacture and on-site assembly of the machine. It said the TBM would be delivered to the site this autumn.

Meanwhile, the manufacturer received a second order to supply a 6.6m diameter TBM to contractor Astaldi to support the extension to the Bucharest metro system in Romania.

The machine will dig out 4 tubes with a length of 500m. The tunnels will be located to the north west of the town, on line 4, which includes the stations of Bazilescu park and lake Străuleşti.