Webuild Launches Europe’s Largest Tunnel Boring Machine for Excavation of Saginara Tunnel on High-Speed Rail Line

Webuild Launches Europe’s Largest Tunnel Boring Machine for Excavation of Saginara Tunnel on High-Speed Rail Line

(IN BRIEF) Webuild has begun the excavation of the Saginara Tunnel using Europe’s largest tunnel boring machine (TBM), “Partenope,” as part of the Salerno Reggio Calabria high-speed rail project. This TBM, marking a significant milestone, will work 24/7 to dig through the Sele Valley, advancing Italy’s infrastructure development.

(PRESS RELEASE) MILAN, 22-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Webuild has initiated the excavation of the Saginara Tunnel, a key component of the Salerno Reggio Calabria high-speed rail line, using its largest tunnel boring machine (TBM) to date. The massive TBM, named “Partenope,” fired up today and will operate continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to excavate the 3-kilometer tunnel in the Sele Valley, located in the province of Salerno. This milestone marks a major advancement for the high-speed rail project, which is being carried out by a Webuild-led consortium on behalf of RFI (Gruppo FS Italiane).

The event was attended remotely by Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, as well as key figures including Lucio Menta, Special Commissioner for the Salerno Reggio Calabria High-Speed Rail Line, and Nicola Meistro, Webuild’s Rail Operations Manager for Italy, along with local authorities.

The “Partenope” TBM is an impressive piece of machinery, measuring 130 meters in length and weighing around 4,000 tonnes. Its 13.46-meter diameter cutting head makes it the largest TBM ever deployed by Webuild in both Italy and Europe. Powered by 18 electric motors generating 10 megawatts of energy, the machine will carve through the Saginara Tunnel, which runs between the municipalities of Campagna and Contursi Terme, offering a vital link on the rail route.

“This marks a significant achievement for Webuild, and the advanced technology behind the ‘Partenope’ TBM will enable us to bring the Saginara Tunnel closer to completion,” said a Webuild spokesperson. “The high-tech, eco-friendly machine will be maintained by a specialized team of 100 technicians, underscoring our commitment to both innovation and sustainability.”

Alongside “Partenope,” Webuild is deploying three other TBMs for the Salerno Reggio Calabria high-speed rail project. These machines are among the largest ever used by the company in Europe. Two additional TBMs, currently being assembled, will excavate the Serra Lunga, Acerra, and Petrolla tunnels, while the other will focus on the Caterina and Sicignano tunnels. A fourth TBM, which has been refurbished at Webuild’s cutting-edge Terni factory, will be used for the Piano Grassi and Contursi tunnels.

Webuild’s Terni facility, established last year, specializes in the refurbishment of TBMs and heavy machinery, positioning the company as a global leader in underground excavation.

The Salerno Reggio Calabria high-speed rail project is crucial for improving sustainable mobility in Italy, with 19 projects currently underway in the southern regions. These projects have created over 8,100 jobs, including both direct and subcontracted employees, and involved more than 5,400 supply chain companies. As part of the broader initiative, Lot 1A—comprising 35 kilometers of rail and 20 tunnels—will play a key role in strengthening connections between northern and southern Italy, supporting regional development, and enhancing Italy’s competitiveness in Europe.

Webuild remains at the forefront of infrastructure development, having deployed approximately 30 TBMs across southern Italy for various projects, including the ongoing construction of over 300 kilometers of high-speed rail.

Webuild is a global leader in the design and construction of large, complex infrastructure projects in sustainable mobility, hydropower, water treatment, and green buildings. A recognized leader in the water sector, it is present in 50 countries with over 92,000 people,
ranking among the leading international players in Australia, Europe and the United States. In nearly 120 years of applied engineering on more than 3,200 projects, the Group has built 14,140 kilometres of rail and metro lines, 82,533 kilometres of roads and highways,
1,020 kilometres of bridges and viaducts, 3,408 kilometres of tunnels, and 313 dams and hydropower plants. Projects include the expansion of the Panama Canal, the Long Beach International Gateway bridge in California, the Third Bosphorus Bridge in Turkey, the Sydney Metro Northwest skytrain viaduct and bridge, the Kingdom Centre skyscraper in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and metro lines in Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Milan, Doha and Riyadh. Others under construction include the new Genoa Breakwater, the Brenner Base Tunnel, Line C of Rome’s metro network, the high-capacity railways between Genoa and Milan, and Naples and Bari, the PalermoCatania-Messina high-capacity railway, the Snowy 2.0 hydropower scheme in Australia, and the Trojena dam network for NEOM in Saudi Arabia. As of June 30, 2024, Webuild Group achieved a total backlog of €65 billion, with more than 90% of its construction backlog related to projects linked to the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of December 31, 2023, revenues totalled €10 billion. Webuild, subject to the direction and coordination of Salini Costruttori S.p.A., is headquartered in Italy and listed on the Milan stock exchange, Borsa Italiana (WBD; WBD.MI; WBD:IM). Since 2021, it is member of the MIB ESG, the index of publicly listed Italian companies with the best ESG practices.

Media Contacts:

Francesca Romana Chiarano
Senior Manager – Media Relations
Tel. +39 338 247 4827
email: f.chiarano@webuildgroup.com

Francesco Squitieri
Communications Manager (Campania, Calabria, Puglia)
Tel. +39 335.5494594
email: f.squitieri@webuilditalia.it

SOURCE: Webuild S.p.A.