Femern A/S has signed contracts for a series of environmental investigations in connection with the detailed planning of the fixed link between Denmark and Germany.

The environmental aspects of this major project have high priority and the two countries agree that the link must be planned, built and operated with the minimum harm to nature and the environment.

As a result, Femern A/S is about to initiate a number of extensive Environmental Impact Assessments. These will be carried out in close interaction with the technical planning process where a bridge is the preferred solution although a tunnel will be considered as an equally valid alternative.

The detailed project planning and the concurrent environmental assessments will form a significant part of the basis for the Danish and German authorities’ future approval of the project.

The construction phase will also focus on the environment through intensive monitoring of a range of biological and hydrographical parameters. This will ensure that the environmental objectives and the authorities’ requirements are met – in the short as well as in the longer term.

To attract the best consultants within the various environmental disciplines, Femern A/S has divided the tender for the environmental tasks into seven separate contracts. 

The seven contracts will run for the next ten years of which the first four will comprise investigations and consultancy during the planning stage and the remaining six will cover the monitoring during the construction stage.

Construction work is expected to commence in 2012 with completion anticipated in 2018.

Following the state treaty signed between Germany and Denmark on September 3, 2008 for the construction of a fixed link across Fehmarnbelt, the parliaments of the two countries will now ratify the state treaty. In Germany, ratification is expected to take place in 2009. In Denmark, parliament is expected to ratify the state treaty by passing a new planning act in its next session, i.e. 2008 / 2009.

The tendering of the environmental tasks complies with the regulations for limited tenders under the EU’s directive concerning tenders for the public purchasing of goods contracts, public services contracts and public building and construction contracts.

Out of the 20 pre-qualified applicants who tendered for the environmental contracts, Femern A/S has selected the following:

Hydrography
DHI / IOW joint venture in partnership with LIC Engineering, Bolding & Burchard and Risø-DTU partnership

Marine biology
DHI / IOW / MarinLim Joint Venture in partnership with DTU-Aqua and CEFAS

Birds
DHI / BioConsult SH joint venture in partnership with Copenhagen University and BIOLA

Fish and fishery
Orbicon A/S / IFAÖ / Fiskeøkologisk Laboratorium ApS joint venture in partnership with IFM-Geomar, SIMRAD, Naturfocus and University of Oslo

Marine mammals
BioConsult SH / CEFAS joint venture in partnership with DHI, Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU Ltd.) and BIOLA

Environmental Investigations for the Danish landworks
COWI A/S

Environmental Investigations for the German landworks
Trüper Gondesen Partner Landschaftsarchitekten BDLA in partnership with leguan planungsbüro GmbH, LAIRM CONSULT GmbH, URS Deutschland GmbH, N.I.T. GmbH  and Ingenieurbüro Dr. Kebe und Dipl.-Ing. Rosenquist

With the exception of the groups involved with the landworks, all groups will have Danish as well as German participation. The groups involved with Marine Biology and Marine mammals also have participation from the UK’s CEFAS. The environmental investigations relating to the landworks will be undertaken by consultants from the respective countries

For further information, please contact Project Director Claus Dynesen, Femern  A/S, tel. + 45 33 41 63 04.