Denmark News Roundup for Thursday
The much-anticipated Fehmarn Belt rail and road tunnel linking Denmark and Germany is facing delays, with the German railway link to the tunnel now projected for completion no earlier than 2032[1][3][5].
The Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, an immersed tunnel running beneath the Fehmarn Belt, is currently under construction. The tunnel, which includes two railway tracks and four highway lanes within the same structure, is expected to open in 2029[3][5]. This tunnel will significantly reduce travel times, cutting the ferry crossing from 45 minutes to a 7-minute train ride between Denmark and Germany[3].
However, the German state railway (DB) has announced that the railway link on the German side will not be ready at that time due to a longer construction period estimated at about six years and five months. This delay of at least three years risks breaching the state treaty between Denmark and Germany[1].
During the construction period of the railway connection, the existing Fehmarn Sound Bridge in Germany will remain open for all transport except rail[1].
Meanwhile, in other news, Japan has vowed to pursue anti-whaling activist Paul Watson despite Interpol lifting its red wanted notice against him. Watson, who was arrested and detained in Greenland in 2024 on a 2012 Japanese warrant, was released in December after Denmark refused the Japanese extradition request over the 2010 clash with whalers[6].
In Denmark, the Ministry of Taxation announced the seizure of 5,000 doping pills and half a litre of liquid doping from a passenger at Copenhagen Airport. The seizure was made after customs officers became suspicious of the passenger upon scanning her bag[7].
The original goal for the Fehmarn link completion was 2029. The tunnel is an additional requirement for the Fehmarn Belt link, which is an 18-kilometre underwater tunnel currently under construction[4].
[1] Deutsche Bahn Needs 6.5 Years to Construct a 2.2-Kilometre Railway Tunnel (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.railway-technology.com/news/deutsche-bahn-needs-6-5-years-to-construct-a-2-2-kilometre-railway-tunnel/
[2] Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.fehmarnbeltlink.com/
[3] Fehmarnbelt Tunnel: Denmark's Greatest Infrastructure Project (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.danskejournalist.dk/fehmarnbelt-tunnel-danmarks-storste-infrastrukturprojekt/
[4] Fehmarn Belt Link: Construction of the Additional Tunnel on the German Side Has Not Yet Received Final Approval (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.railway-technology.com/news/fehmarnbelt-link-construction-of-the-additional-tunnel-on-the-german-side-has-not-yet-received-final-approval/
[5] Trains Unlikely to Begin Running Across the Fehmarn Belt Before the End of 2032 at the Earliest (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.railway-technology.com/news/trains-unlikely-to-begin-running-across-the-fehmarn-belt-before-the-end-of-2032-at-the-earliest/
[6] Japan Vows to Pursue Paul Watson Despite Interpol Lifting Red Notice (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-vows-pursue-paul-watson-despite-interpol-lifting-red-notice-2022-03-14/
[7] Smuggling of Doping Substances is a Growing Trend in Denmark (2022, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.denmark.dk/en/news/smuggling-of-doping-substances-is-a-growing-trend-in-denmark
- The delay in the completion of the German railway link for the Fehmarn Belt rail and road tunnel has caused a shift in focus from general-news to crime-and-justice, as doping pills and liquid doping were seized from a passenger at Copenhagen Airport.
- Amidst the news about the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, there is also a development in political news, as Japan has vowed to pursue anti-whaling activist Paul Watson despite Interpol lifting its red wanted notice against him.
- While the Fehmarn Belt link is facing delays due to political and infrastructure concerns, the weather continues to play a part in other news, with smuggling of doping substances in Denmark being a growing trend.
