Jumbo Transports World’s Largest Tunnel Boring Machine to Seattle (USA)

On Friday 5th of April 2013, Mv Fairpartner will commence discharging the largest tunnel boring machine (TBM) ever made at the port of Seattle. The tunnel boring machine has been built by Hitachi Zosen Corporation and loaded at Osaka, Japan. It consists of total 48 pieces weighing 7,777 metric tons and measuring 31,606 cubic meters. The heaviest item is close to 900 metric tons.

The tunnel boring machine was named ‘Bertha’ after Bertha Knight Landes, Seattle’s first female mayor.

With her 17 meters diameter and length of close to a 100 meters, she will dig the SR99 tunnel beneath downtown Seattle. The tunnel should be operational in 2015.

[mappress]

Jumbo Shipping, April 4, 2013; Image: WSDOT