Constructing covert, megascale processing facilities underground
The global tunneling market is witnessing steady growth, fueled by rapid urbanization, increased infrastructure investments, and technological advancements in tunneling machinery. According to a report on Webuildvalue, the online magazine of the Webuild group, the market value of tunneling is projected to grow from $174 billion in 2024 to $330 billion by 2031, with an annual growth rate of 9.5%.
In Europe, the tunneling market is no exception. The European tunneling market was valued at around USD 109.75 billion in 2024 and is forecast to almost double by 2033 to USD 208.38 billion, with a higher compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.38%. This growth is primarily driven by investments in transport infrastructure, metro expansions, and utility networks.
The use of tunneling technology is increasingly becoming a conscious choice for urban regeneration, particularly in heavily urbanized cities like London, Paris, Milan, and Copenhagen. Building large infrastructures underground, such as road and railway tunnels, metros, hydroelectric plants, and aqueducts, is a response to the problem of soil consumption and its associated environmental and urban impacts.
One such significant project is the Grand Paris Express in France, which aims to revolutionize the mobility of the French capital. The project involves the construction of 200 kilometers of new metro lines and the renovation of 68 existing stations.
In Italy, the Terzo Valico dei Giovi, currently under construction, is a key project for the future of Italian and European logistics, with a length of 27 kilometers, making it the longest railway route in Italy. The Brenner Base Tunnel, another major tunneling project in Italy, will become the world's longest railway tunnel upon completion.
The acoustic and visual impact of construction sites and finished works is limited by building underground. Moreover, green spaces, agricultural areas, and urban environments are preserved by building underground infrastructures. The Milan M4 metro line, with 20 kilometers of tunnels at a depth of 30 meters, is a testament to this, as it navigates through heavily urbanized areas.
The growth in the tunneling market is not just about engineering solutions but also about addressing societal challenges. The goal 15 of the UN Agenda 2030, regarding the conservation of life on earth, is in clear contrast with the reported soil consumption in Italy. A report by Ispra 2024 indicates that an additional 72.5 square kilometers of Italian soil were covered by cement, asphalt, and other artificial coverings in the last year of monitoring (2022-2023).
The European regulation on the restoration of nature may bring about change in Italy, potentially forcing over 3,000 municipalities to halt soil consumption. The use of mechanical moles, a type of tunneling machinery, is significantly contributing to this growth in the tunneling market.
In conclusion, the global tunneling market demonstrates robust growth prospects with strong demand for sophisticated underground infrastructure projects, especially metro and utility tunnels. Europe, while aligned with global trends, shows a distinct emphasis on civil defence infrastructure upgrades alongside continued urban transit development, leveraging state-of-the-art tunneling technologies to meet present and future infrastructure challenges. Tunneling is no longer just an engineering option but a conscious choice for urban regeneration, supporting the transition towards sustainable and human-scale cities.
In the context of Europe's increasing investments in transport infrastructure and utility networks, the use of technology in environmental-science fields like tunneling is playing a crucial role in urban regeneration, particularly in cities like London, Paris, Milan, and Copenhagen. The growth in the environmental-science sector, such as the tunneling market, is not just about technical advancements but also about addressing societal challenges, like the conservation of life on earth as stated in the UN Agenda 2030's goal 15.
