The largest shield machine in the Southern Hemisphere has launched.

六菱ゴム

In Melbourne, Australia, a shield machine with a diameter of φ15.6m, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, manufactured by Herrenknecht, has begun tunnel excavation work. This project, commissioned by the Victorian Government and constructed by the CPB Contractors and John Holland joint venture (CPBJH-JV), known as the West Gate Tunnel Project, will serve as a crucial alternative transportation route to the West Gate Bridge over the Maribyrnong River, alleviating traffic congestion and changing the routes of thousands of trucks through residential areas, thus contributing to urban development. The first shield machine (Bella) launched in March 2022 and will take 18 months to excavate a 4km tunnel heading out of the city, expected to merge with the West Gate Freeway at North Altona. The second machine (Vida) launched in April of the same year and will excavate a 2.8km tunnel heading into the city over 12 months, set to merge with William Road west of the West Gate Freeway. The entrance seal device "RIPP type-A" has been adopted at the launch site of the shield machines, and the sealing performance at both launch sites was good during the start of the shield machines.