Dragages Hong Kong and Bouygues Travaux Publics have proudly received the most prestigious prize at the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) Tunnelling Awards Presentation for the Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link – Northern Connection Subsea Tunnel Project (TMCLK). The Award for Major Project of the Year (> 500 millions Euros) was received from the ITA President, Mrs Jenny YAN, at the Presentation Ceremony, held in Miami, USA on 18th November 2019. Since 2015, this international competition has rewarded the most ground-breaking innovations and outstanding projects in tunneling and underground space use over the world.
 
The scope of TMCLK Project includes the construction of a 5.5km long twin sub-sea tunnel, with 57 cross passages, mostly constructed using slurry tunnel boring machines (TBMs) (14m and 17.63m diameters) and also a 500m long Cut & Cover section, 3 Ventilation Shafts and a 16.5 hectares of marine reclamation.
 
The project adopted innovative design and technologies, including the world’s largest TBM driven in freshly reclaimed land, the use of Mini TBMs for construction of cross passages, state-of-the-art technologies used to facilitate hyperbaric interventions (saturation technique and robotic arm) and the final double break-out within a gigantic 500m long Caterpillar-shaped cofferdam. The strictest governance of safety and the environmental friendliness contributed to the overall major success for this one-of-a-kind project.
 
This is the fifth time Dragages received the ITA Award. We have received “Safety Initiative of the Year” for the Telemach, robotic arm able to change disc cutters on TBM cutter heads at TMCLK, also ROBY 850, semi-automatic drilling robot at Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point – Site Formation and Infrastructure Works – Contract 2 Project respectively in 2017 and 2018. In 2013, we received “Product or Equipment Innovation of the Year” for the MTR – West Island Line – Sheung Wan to Sai Ying Pun Tunnels Project. We were awarded “Tunnelling Project of the Year” (US$100 million to US$1 billion category) for the Hong Kong West Drainage Tunnel Project.
 
Once again, this ITA award recognizes the expertise and leading position of Dragages-Bouygues Joint Venture in the tunnelling technology. Congratulations again to the whole TMCLK team!