Denmark's largest construction project ever – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel – is undergoing a change in management, bringing more international experience to the organisation.
On 1 November, British national Guy Taylor will replace the current director, Henrik Vincentsen. Guy Taylor will thus be responsible for managing the construction of the world's longest immersed tunnel through the second half of the construction phase. Guy Taylor has held leading roles in several major international tunnel projects, including the Söderström Tunnel in Stockholm and the Metrocity Ring in Copenhagen. Guy has also previously worked on the Channel Tunnel between England and France and the Great Belt Fixed Link.
“We are entering a new phase of the Fehmarnbelt project, where we will be working in a new way with our contractors to move the project forward together. This requires new skills in project management, and we are delighted to have been able to recruit one of the very best in the world as our new project director," says Mikkel Hemmingsen, CEO of Sund & Bælt.
Guy Taylor has many years of experience with large international projects and has been involved in the construction of more than 100 kilometres of tunnels throughout his career. He also has extensive experience in managing multinational contractors, which will strengthen the project organisation in the final half of the construction of the world's longest immersed tunnel.
“The Fehmarnbelt tunnel will be a game changer that will bring Denmark and Central Europe closer together for generations to come. I look forward to contributing my experience with international contractors and projects and to driving the Fehmarnbelt project forward together with the strong team at Sund & Bælt,” says Guy Taylor.
Sund & Bælt is grateful to Henrik Vincentsen for his work in bringing the project from vision to reality and transforming a barren field on Lolland into Northern Europe's largest construction site.
"I am proud to have led the first phase of the largest construction project in Danish history. We have solved many challenges along the way, and there are more ahead, but the project is in good hands with some of the world's most talented specialists. I wish the team every success with the project going forward and look forward to the day when I can drive through the tunnel myself," says Henrik Vincentsen.
The Fehmarnbelt project faces several major challenges. The schedule is facing significant challenges, and the planned opening in 2029 seems no longer realistic. Currently, the biggest challenge is the preparation and regulatory approval of a specialised vessel for the immersion of the tunnel elements. At the same time, the project is now entering a new phase, where the focus is shifting from the construction sites on land to the immersion of the first tunnel elements at sea.
The Fehmarnbelt project is the largest and most complex construction project in Danish history, and since the start of the construction phase in 2020, Sund & Bælt's organisation has been continuously adjusted to the current challenges that need to be addressed. Most recently, Sund & Bælt established a unified construction division on 1 October under the leadership of Martin Russo.
Facts about the Fehmarnbelt tunnel
The Fehmarnbelt tunnel is the largest construction project in Danish history and the largest construction site in Northern Europe. The link consists of an 18-kilometre-long immersed tunnel between Rødbyhavn on Lolland and Puttgarden on the German island of Fehmarn. The tunnel will be the longest immersed tunnel in the world.
The construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel will remove a bottleneck in traffic between Scandinavia and Central Europe and pave the way for a new, greener traffic corridor in Europe. The Fehmarnbelt tunnel is a priority project for the European Commission, which has supported the project with DKK 11 billion.
Construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel began in 2020. The project employs around 4,000 people. During the construction phase, 500 apprentice-years will also be created.
The construction of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel is user-financed according to the same model as the Great Belt Fixed Link and the Øresund Fixed Link. The construction is financed by loans that are repaid with revenue from traffic.
Facts about Guy Taylor
Guy Taylor is a British citizen but is married to a Dane and has lived in Denmark on several occasions. He is a trained engineer and has spent the last 20 years leading several tunnel projects, including the Cityringen in Copenhagen and the Söderström Tunnel in Stockholm, which is also an immersed tunnel. He has been involved in the construction of more than 100 kilometres of tunnels throughout his career and joins Sund & Bælt and the Fehmarnbelt project from a senior position with the transport authorities in Singapore. Guy Taylor will join Sund & Bælt on 1 November.
Selected projects and positions of Guy Taylor
- Director – Land Transport Authority (LTA) Singapore · Jul. 2020 – Oct. 2025
- Tunnelling Operations Manager SEA – John Holland · Jan. 2018 – Jul. 2020
- Regional General Manager SEA – Samsung C&T Corporation · Jun. 2016 – Dec. 2017
- Director of Projects – Metroselskabet I/S · Sep. 2010 – May 2016
- Construction Manager Immersed Tube Tunnels – Pihl & Søn A/S · Jun. 2008 – Aug. 2010
- Manager – CH2M · Apr. 2007 – May. 2008
- Deputy Director – Land Transport Authority (LTA) Singapore · Sep. 1997 – Mar. 2007
