INTERNATIONAL: Spanish state-owned engineering consultancy Ineco has told Railway Gazette International that the long-proposed Spain – Morocco inter-continental tunnel ’is highly complex and is currently undergoing feasibility studies’.
The Strait of Gibraltar is around 13 km wide at its narrowest point, but is up to 900 m deep.
Studies for a fixed link have been undertaken at intervals over more than 40 years, co-ordinated by state-owned project promoters Secegsa in Spain and SNED in Morocco.
Last year the countries agreed to revive a joint committee which had not met since 2009, and in March this year the strategic nature of the fixed link project as well as collaboration on ports and roads was discussed by ministers from the two countries.
Ineco said Secegsa is currently undertaking studies to ascertain the geomechanical characteristics of the seabed. The possible construction of a exploratory tunnel is envisaged, which would require the agreement of Morocco.
