Italferr at the yearly World Tunnel Congress in Athens

The World Tunnel Congress (WTC) organized annually by the International Tunnelling Association (ITA) was held in Athens between the 12th and the 18th of May 2023.

The world congress, which brought together construction companies, design companies, universities, industries and public bodies involved in the world of tunneling, provided a valuable opportunity for the exchange of experience and expertise on the specialised issues of underground structures.

Among the major players at the conference were also the representatives of Italferr's Tunnels and Sales & Marketing division who brought to Athens an effective contribution to the activities of the Working Groups, composed of members from different countries, pooling their different experiences for the development of knowledge and skills on the specialized issues of the sector.

In addition, the Tunnels Manager, Alessandra Sciotti, spoke at the technical session "Planning and Designing of Tunnels and Underground Structures", illustrating to the international audience particularly interested in Italy's major infrastructure short-term investments the design choices of the underground structures belonging to the new Messina-Catania and Palermo-Catania railway lines. Within this context, the use of underground work and the adoption of mechanized excavation as the prevalent tunnel building method - so much so that as many as 26 TBMs are expected to be operational for the railway works in the Sicilian region - have been identified as strategic assets for the greater sustainability and resilience of the infrastructure. The choices and technical motivations at the final design stage were illustrated in the presentation, included in the Proceedings of the conference, entitled "The new major railway lines in Southern Italy: planning and design approaches towards sustainable solutions" signed by Italferr.