Three TBMs now operating on the Bari-Naples and Palermo-Catania-Messina lines

Futura, Marina and Lucia: these are the names of the three Tunnel Boring Machines activated simultaneously on 23 July 2024 under the Works Supervision of Italferr, an engineering company of the Infrastructure Hub of the Ferrovie dello Stato Group.

TBMs Futura and Marina have started their excavation on the HS/HC Naples-Bari line. Lucia, on the other hand, is active on the Palermo-Catania-Messina line.

Both projects are strategic for making the railway network in Southern Italy increasingly competitive, integrated, efficient and sustainable, thereby capable of supporting the growing tourist demand, the needs of citizens and of freight traffic.

With a diameter of more than 12m, Futura will be used for the mechanized excavation of the third bored tunnel planned along the route that will reach a total length of 18.7 km. Of the latter, about 12.8 km involve the mechanized excavation of single-bore and double-track tunnels. The TBM, with an excavation diameter of 12.20 m, is ready to start with the excavation of the single-bore, double-track 'Rocchetta' bored tunnel, which is about 6.5 km long. Equipped with 18 x 3 MegaWatt electric engines, Futura will be powered by electricity. Work will proceed expeditiously and excavation activities will be carried out continuously 24/7.

With an approximately 11.50-meter long shield and a variable diameter of about 10 meters, Marina will excavate the first tube of the even track of the Orsara Tunnel, along the Bovino-Orsara Track Doubling section, which is the last variant section before the reconnection onto the Bovino-Foggia-Bari line already in use since 2017. The upgrading and development of the Rome/Naples-Bari route includes works to double the single-track railway sections and variants with the aim of speeding up connections and increasing the generalized offer of rail service, raising its accessibility in the areas through which it transits. In particular, the Orsara-Bovino section, along the Naples-Bari route, is strategic in the overall reorganization of metropolitan, regional and long-distance connections. Located in the territory of Campania, the section crosses Montaguto, in the province of Avellino, and the territory of Puglia, in the municipalities of Orsara di Puglia and Bovino, in the province of Foggia.

The Bovino-Orsara section will run mainly through tunnels at speeds between 200 and 250 km/h and will be 11.8 km long. The TBM called Marina will connect the Adriatic Sea to the Tyrrhenian Sea and will excavate about 9.3 km of the Orsara tunnel, advancing approximately 12 meters every day.

As part of the project for the doubling of the tracks of the Messina-Catania line - Giampilieri-Fiumefreddo, Taormina-Fiumefreddo section lot 1 – the mechanized excavation activities of the 6.133 km long, double-bore single-track Taormina Tunnel have begun. This tunnel will be excavated by the Green TBM called Lucia, manufactured by Creg, with an excavation diameter of 9.160 m. Since the machine is of Dual Mode type, the excavation diameter is planned in both EPB and open mode.

The tunnels will be lined with precast concrete segments 40 cm thick and 1.80 m wide made at the "Roboplant" prefabrication plant located in Balpasso (Catania). Lucia joins the TBM called Igea already engaged in the excavation of the Sciglio Tunnel on Lot 2. These will be joined by two more TBMs currently being assembled, which will excavate the future Scaletta, Quali, Forza D'Agrò and Letojanni tunnels, completing the picture of the four TBMs starting in the year 2024.

The new Naples-Bari line and the Palermo-Catania-Messina line are included in the Cantieri Parlanti (Talking Contruction Sites) project, carried out by the FS Group in collaboration with MIT, to transparently tell the activities and benefits of the new infrastructure being built.