Norway is planning to build a tunnel through the Stad Peninsula, marked above with flag, to provide safe passage for ships that now must often wait for calm waters before sailing around it.
The rough passage around Stad, caused by fierce North Sea winds Is a problem that goes back to Viking times, when those fierce warriors chose to carry their boats across the peninsula rather than go around.
The one-mile tunnel will be 36 meters wide, and accommodate freight and passenger boats up to 16,000 tonnes, including Norway’s Coastal Express boats. It’s expected to take about 4 years to build, opening in the early 2020s, at a cost of about $315 million.
