Spain Advances Plans for Europe-Africa Tunnel with €1.6M Feasibility Study

(3 Minutes Read)

Spain has committed €1.6 million to assess the feasibility of constructing an underwater tunnel linking Europe and Africa via the Strait of Gibraltar. The Spanish Ministry of Transport, under the leadership of Óscar Puente, revised the original €2.4 million budget after adjusting some planned tasks.

The envisioned tunnel would stretch 38.5 kilometers, including 27.7 kilometers beneath the sea, creating a strategic rail link between the continents. Two parallel railway tunnels are planned, connecting either from Algeciras—known for its major port and rail infrastructure—or the coast near Tarifa, the southernmost city in Europe.

This bold infrastructure project, financed through the EU’s Next Generation funds, is being studied for its technical and financial viability by Ineco, a state-owned engineering firm. Herrenknecht, a world leader in tunnel construction based in Germany, is evaluating construction feasibility, with results expected by June, according to SECEGSA—the Spanish Company for Studies on Fixed Communication across the Gibraltar Strait.

In parallel, Spain is conducting detailed geological studies. In November, the government spent over €480,000 to rent four seismometers from Madrid-based TEKPAM Ingeniería SL to analyse the seabed’s structure.

Read Also:

https://trendsnafrica.com/spain-morocco-underwater-tunnel-project-deferred-2040-deadline-announced/

The tunnel project, originally initiated in 1980 under a bilateral agreement between Spain and Morocco, continues to be jointly explored by SECEGSA and Morocco’s counterpart, SNED (National Company for Studies of the Strait of Gibraltar).

According to the Ministry of Transport, the fixed link would serve as a crucial component of the Euro-Mediterranean transport network, enhancing the flow of passengers, goods, and services and contributing significantly to economic integration between Europe and Africa.