Welcome to T&TI’s annual “World Profile of Contractors & Consulting Engineers”. Historically this amalgamation of industry information has appeared in our February issue, but we’ve decided on a change and now kick off 2004 with the exhaustive listing of who’s doing what, giving you an earlier chance to see what your competitors/friends are up to!
Once again, a big thanks to all who returned the request for information forms with such detail of their current assignments. The broad scope of work should be encouraging to everybody.
It’s always good to start the year on an upbeat note, and this month’s World News includes a report on the first breakthrough of the CTRL Section 2 London Tunnels. A big well done must go out to all of the teams on CTRL, who are currently bringing in over 40km of large diameter TBM driven tunnel through London’s tricky geology, ahead of time and budget.
Also included in the news this month, is the fabled Morocco – Spain tunnel link, which seems to be a step closer to reality following funding approval for a detailed feasibility study into the route. The Channel Tunnel must have seemed ‘pie in the sky’ at one time so who knows, the technology is there, maybe we’ll see another Chunnel type project in the not too distant future.
Finally, a big well done must go to the contractors who built the Siloam water tunnel 2700 years ago in Jerusalem! Its prime condition has made it the first ever structure mentioned in the Bible to be accurately carbon dated! Built in 700 BC, the tunnel still works today. Talk about design life!
Tris Thomas
