[2022 Asia Construction Awards] SK Ecoplant Proves Technical Expertise by Winning UK's 'Silvertown Tunnel Project'

Overseas Civil Engineering Division Overseas Construction Association President's Award

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] SK Ecoplant, which received the Overseas Construction Association Award in the overseas civil engineering sector, is expanding its entry into the global market beyond Korea through infrastructure public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

Not only in the UK but also for the first time in Norway, the company is actively targeting the European market through PPP projects. In particular, it proved its technological capabilities by successfully winning the contract for the 'UK Silvertown Tunnel Project,' a Western European infrastructure PPP project, becoming the first domestic construction company to do so.

This project involves constructing two one-way, two-lane road tunnels with a total length of 1.4 km and a diameter of 12.4 m, passing under the River Thames to connect the Silvertown and Greenwich areas in London, UK. The construction cost is approximately 1 billion pounds (about 1.5 trillion KRW). SK Ecoplant completed the assembly of the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) for tunnel excavation on-site last August and recently began full-scale excavation work under the River Thames. This TBM has a diameter of about 11.9 m and weighs 1,800 tons, making it the largest diameter ever used in the UK.

TBM used in the UK Silvertown Project

The project aims for completion in 2025. Given that a large-scale project is underway in the heart of metropolitan London, efforts are being made to minimize environmental pollution and carbon emissions by transporting materials not only via existing roads but also using the river.

Previously, SK Ecoplant formed an investment consortium called Riverings with four companies: Macquarie Capital from Australia, Cintra from Spain, Aberdeen Standard Investments from the UK, and BAM PPP PGGM from the Netherlands, to participate in the UK Silvertown Project. SK Ecoplant holds a 10% investment stake in Riverings.

For construction, SK Ecoplant formed a consortium with Spain's Ferrovial Agroman and the UK's BAM Nuttall to handle EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction). SK Ecoplant participates in construction with a 20% stake.

It is said that the bidding competition for this project was fiercer than ever, with world-renowned TBM design and construction companies forming consortia. SK Ecoplant succeeded in winning the contract by being recognized for its experience and excellent technological capabilities in large-diameter TBM tunnels and underground space projects in Korea, Turkey, Singapore, Qatar, and other countries.

An SK Ecoplant official said, "This project is significant as it is the first PPP project that SK Ecoplant has won in Western Europe, including the UK, as a domestic company."