Gibraltar Straits tunnel caracteristics The “tunnel” option currently the Base option of the project, consists of a three-tube infrastructure excavated under the Strait ‘’sill’’. It is conceived for a railway traffic link (passengers and cargo) between Moroccan and Spanish railway systems, as well as the transportation of road vehicles (cars, trucks and buses) on shuttle trains between two terminals, one in Morocco and one in Spain. This option consists, therefore, on a system of transportation similar to the Channel Tunnel one, which in fact is a precedent for the Project of Gibraltar Straits Link. In 1996 a technico-economical formulation for the “tunnel” option was proposed, developed at the level of Primary Pre-Project. Based on the level of information available at that time, reference made particularly to geologico-geotechnical conditions and user traffic forecast. This proposal reached favourable conclusions regarding the technical, economic and financial feasibility, although with certain reservations with regard to its preliminary nature, specifically the confirmation of some geological hypotheses and, of course the consolidation of traffic forecasts, which are currently being updated. The main features of the excavated railway tunnel, shown in the annex, can be summarized as follows: a. Length: Distance between terminals: 42km. Total length in tunnel: 37.7 km. Length of

underwater tunnel: 27.7 km b. Longitudinal profile: The layout initially proposed (Layout B0) ran at -400m below sea level at its

deepest point and had a minimal terrain overburden of 100m which, at the begining, was thought to be flyschs. This layout was discarded in view of the first offshore drilling campaign (Bucentaur 97) which yielded the existence of bioclastic sands in the deepest area of the route on the first 100m of the boreholes and then argilaceous breccia until at least 120m depth

Two alternatives B1 and B2 had been then considered, with respectively 200m and 300m of minimum overburden, keeping the same location of tunnel entries but increasing the slopes. The new layouts had to avoid the breccias and especially the sands, but the second offshore drilling campaign (Norskald 98-99) as well as the third one (Kingfisher 05) revealed that the thikness of breccias deposit is important (the borehole 3I of 325m penetration below seabed didn’t reach yet the contact with flysch bedrock). This gave rise to a new layout P, currently under survey, which goes through the breccias and avoids bioclastic sands.

Initially

proposed Layout B0

Temporarily considered deviations layouts

B1 + B2

Under survey Layout P

Deepest point m - 400 -500 -600 -400 <PF< -500 Maximum water depth, m 300 300 300 300 Minimum terrain overburden, m 100 200 300 120 <CT< 200 Maximum gradient per mil 25 ~30 ~35 25 <p< 30

c. Cross Section: Consisting of two one-way circular railway galleries (diameter = 7.5m) and a

pressurized service/security gallery (diameter = 4.80m) centered between both galleries and connected through transversal conduits at regular intervals (340m).

d. Connection to networks: Conditions for the connection of the fixed link to north and south

networks are asymmetrical. On the Southern side, the tunnel access is located very near a railway and road hub of primary importance, as Tangier, whereas access on the northern side is relatively far from any important hub, which makes construction of important connection works necessary, in particular rail and road connections, as indicated in annex “Connection Works”

Subsequent stages for completion of tunnel The different stages for the tunnel completion have been laid out for the purpose of making its concession to the private sector more attractive: a. Phase 0 (Survey gallery) Construction of the underwater service gallery as a pilot survey

gallery. An essential phase from the technical point of view. b. Phase 1 (Monotube phase) Construction of the first railway tunnel and its corresponding

terminals and the conclusion of the land stretches of the service gallery. This is the start up phase.

c. Phase 2 (Bitube phase) Completion, in a long run, of the second railway tunnel and the

adjusting of terminals in accordance with the growth of user traffic. It must be remarked that completion by phases is one of the primary reasons which prompted the Joint Committee to choose the basic alternative. In effect, it adapts to the levels of uncertainty inherent to the Project, both pertaining to the geologic-geotechnical uncertainties and long term traffic forecast, due to the length of time, 30 years or so, for the completion of the second railway tunnel. This phase method may, in short, considerably reduce risks related to the Project and thus encourage the future participation of the private sector.

The main functional features of the tunnel, as established in 1996 are: a. Maximum speed in tunnel: 120km/h for shuttle and ordinary trains, with the possibility of

including high speed passenger trains. b. Length of trip: Run between terminals: 30min. Tunnel time: 25min. Maximum wait: 1hr30min c. Shuttle trains: In principle two types of train are foreseen: car shuttles for 130 cars and truck

shuttles for 18 trucks. Occupants of vehicles, both passengers and drivers, would travel, initially, in separate wagons.

d. Annual capacity: (Monotube phase). Private cars: 1,580,000, heavy vehicles: 460,000; car

passengers: 4.7 million; rail passengers: 11.2 million. e. Annual capacity: (Bitube phase) Three times the above capacity.

FEATURES OF THE RAILWAY TUNNEL

Spain

Morocco

PLAN

27.750m 28.100m 38.670m

TYPICAL CROSS-SECTION

1995 : The tunnel is chosen as the basic option for the following reasons :

• Guaranteed access to construction techniques ; • No interference with maritime trafic and collision

risks; • Compatible with the construction by stages, in

acoordance with the future trafic evolution; • An attractive financial scheme for its concession to the

private sector

Longitudinal Cross- Section: • Distance between terminal stations : 42 km ; • Total tunnel length : 38,7 km ; • Length of the underwater tunnel : 27,7 km ; • Minimum overburden in the deepest point : 120m • Slope : 25 à 300/00.

Transversal Section in the final phase: • Two one way railway galleries of 7,5m diameter and • A service/security pressurized gallery of 4,8m diameter,

centered between the two main rail galleries and joined to them through trnasversal openings at regular (340m) intervals

ELEVATION (Tunnel)

North Terminal Connection • Widening of the CN-340 road between Cadix and

Vejer (included in PEIT); • Widening of the Vejer-Algéciras road in

accordance with the feasibility of the Fixed Link; • Future rail line Cadix-Algéciras (included in

PEIT); • High speed train branche Séville-Cadix (included

in PEIT); • Connection of the north Terminal with the rail line. South Terminal Connection Connection with the urban by-pass included in the

SDAU and the Tanger-Tétouan road:

o Highway Connection with the main Tangier-Rabat highway,;

o Connection with Tangier-Tangier Med railway

CONNEXION WORKS

The fixed Link and connecting infrastructures Connection infrastructures