THE XXI CENTURY TRASPORTS LINK BETWEEN EUROPE AND AFRICA Italy, bridge across Mediterranean Sea

Great buildings in the past and present time YESTERDAY “To connect the oceans” (Panama, Suez) Powerful states, owners of powerful fleets Through “parallels” The courses to East TODAY To connect the “Countries” Also through “meridians” Gibraltar and Mazara two borderlands of Europe

THE STRAIT OF MESSINA BRIDGE Link between Italian regions and/or hinge between two continents ? It will promote the change of goods transport from road to railway

SUBMARINE TUNNELS Existing tunnels Sei-Kan Tunnel (Japan) Eurotunnel (France –England) Tokyo Bay (Aqualine) Tunnel (Japan) Future tunnels Tsushima-Kaikyo (strait) and Korean strait Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain) Bering Strait (Russia-USA)

SEI –KAN m length, existing from 1988 section

SEI - KAN Profile

EUROTUNNEL section

EUROTUNNEL Upgrading works (Stratford-Dover, in progress)

TOKYO BAY- TUNNEL Profile

TOKYO BAY- TUNNEL Bridge and artificial island Kase–no-to

TOKYO BAY- TUNNEL Humi - Hotaru artificial island and bridge

GIBRALTAR TUNNEL PLAN

GIBRALTAR TUNNEL PLAN AND SECTION

GIBRALTAR TUNNEL PROFILE

BERING TUNNEL Russia – USA and two Diomede’s islands

KOREA - JAPAN TUNNEL in project 120 km length, 5 islands

Sicily – Africa: tunnel track

Sicily - Africa profile, plan, section

ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS Channel of Sicily, is it possible to build a 130 km long tunnel ? Artificial islands, Japanese experience, environment damage or benefit ?

REALIZATION Heads and islands TBM machines Scheme and performances

RESULTS IN THE TIME Why only goods and services ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES Building yard time North Africa productions, quality and quantity changes Removal of industries Increase of people’s incomes and fundamental consumptions

STAGES Research and feasibility project Constituting Consortia and finding investors Technical project and work planning Tunnel heads, islands and links realization Drilling phase Realization of systems and plants

Technical data and performances of the Sicily – Tunisia tunnel -Total length 150 km. -Submarine portion length 136 km. - Two galleries (one for each way) with 7.6 m diameter, and a 45 m distance between them. - Gallery of exploration/service 4.8 m diameter in central position between the transit galleries. - Practicable total bypass connections every 375m. - Aerodynamic bypass every 200 m. -Electric supply at the ends linked with national Tunisian/Italian power nets. At least two power stations at the artificial islands.

PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION The realization of the tunnel, by analogy with similar works, is divided in 4 phases at least: - Geologic research and executive project, planning and commissioning (for a period of about 4 years). The works for the construction of the tunnel include three phases (for an estimable length of about 7 years): - Positioning of 4 platforms for the building of artificial islands (well technique) and beginning of the realization of the heads (Pizzolato and Cape Bon terminals). - digging of the different portions of the tunnel (5 long sections) and building of artificial islands. - installation of all the technical plants (ventilation systems, drain systems …)

GOODS TRANSPORT ACROSS MEDITERRANEAN SEA