World Tunnel Congress 2025 - The tunneling world is coming to Sweden

When the World Tunnel Congress (WTC 2025) is held in Stockholm 9–15 May it is about more than just tunnels. The idea is to make all forms of underground construction visible, with a technical conference, seminars and an exhibition. During the WTC 2025 the Swedish organizers will also take the opportunity to highlight Swedish mining industry, machine manufacturers, technology and methods for underground work.

By Lars-Olof Tandberg

– The World Tunnel Congress is the occasion of the year when the industry from all over the world gathers. It is about more than just tunnels, the idea is to make all forms of underground construction visible, says Per Vedin, chairman of the Swedish Rock Engineering Association and vice chairman of the organizing committee for WTC 2025.

The World Tunnel Congress is held every year by the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association (ITA). ITA is an international trade association with 80 member countries and 219 corporate and individual members. The Swedish Rock Engineering Association is Sweden's representative in ITA.

This year’s congress will take place at Stockholmsmässan 9–15 May and consists of two parts. ITA's internal work takes place during the WTC where the association holds its annual meeting, and the various working groups meet for deliberations.

– Current issues are prepared during the rest of the year when the board and working groups have digital meetings. It is at the WTC that everyone meets physically, and the decisions are made.

Per Vedin launched the WTC 2025 in Stockholm at last year’s congress in Shenzhen in China. Picture: Swedish Rock Engineering Association

Highlight Sweden

The second part of the WTC is about making underground work visible with a technical conference, with seminars and an exhibition over three days 12–14 May. As this year's congress is held in Stockholm "Swedish fika", the Swedish version of a coffee break, is of course offered in connection with the exhibition.

That is just one example of the organizer's goal to highlight Sweden as a country and not least Sweden's long history as a leading country in terms of technical development and innovation in underground construction.

On their web page the Swedish organizers of WTC 2025 notes that more than a hundred years ago Sweden was the cradle where new technologies were nurtured, with dynamite, effective machinery and production methods.

Sweden’s experience of underground construction dates back more than a century. This development is sometimes referred to as being a result of good rock conditions and close cooperation between owners, consultants, contractors and machinery manufacturers.

Examples of early use of the underground, other than for mining purposes, include hydroelectric power plants, traffic tunnels and military facilities, including public shelters. The knowledge that has been gained has during the last century been shared with and then refined by the rest of the world.

Despite being a relatively small country Sweden is still leading the way. Current examples are the construction of one of the most complex underground road tunnel networks, the Stockholm bypass, a new metro with one of the deepest underground stations in the world, only accessible by elevators, and large rock caverns to store liquid hydrogen with the purpose to produce fossil free steel.

– The most recent congresses have focused on sustainability and reducing climate impact. In addition to that, we also want to showcase the Swedish mining industry and manufacturers of machines. These are areas where we are world leaders and we are often first adopters of new technology such as electric drive, batteries, autonomous machines and more. We have machine and equipment manufacturers such as Sandvik, Epiroc and Volvo. We want to highlight the width that is not found anywhere else, says Per Vedin.

At the World Tunnel Congress 2025 in Stockholm 9–15 May the goal is to make all forms of underground construction visible, with a technical conference, seminars and an exhibition.

In the footsteps of Alfred Nobel

He points out that the mining industry is the first step before infrastructure. The techniques and machines that the mining industry develops often comes to use in the construction industry.

– Even though some countries are ahead of us in technology development today, we want to show what Sweden have done historically and how we have contributed to the development of the industry. Sweden was also involved in forming the ITA 50 years ago, but we have never had the WTC in Sweden, so it was about time we got the chance.

On the last day of WTC 2025, several study visits are organized to show both historical and modern rock construction in Sweden. Some examples are the Stockholm bypass, the sewage treatment plants in Sickla and Henriksdal, the Dannemora mine, the new Stockholm subway and Epiroc's test mines in Örebro and Sickla.

To show Sweden's long history in rock construction, the congress participants can also visit the area at Vinterviken, where Alfred Nobel had his factory for the development and manufacturing of dynamite.

Financial risk

Hosting and organizing an event of this magnitude not only means opportunity, it also means financial risk-taking. The Swedish Rock Engineering Association started the process of applying to host WTC 2025 during the pandemic.

– When we submitted the application in 2021, we knew it was a financial risk for the association, but we also saw the possibilities. Given the pandemic, we thought that the competition to host would not be as great as usual. Then it turned out that we were the only country to apply. It also meant that we saved the entire organization. If no one had arranged WTC 2025, ITA would miss out on income and find it difficult to continue its operations, says Per Vedin.

Facts/ World Tunnel Congress

The World Tunnel Congress is organized every year by the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association (ITA) together with a national organization in the host country. ITA is an international trade association with 80 member countries and 219 corporate and individual members. Last year the WTC was held in Shenzhen in China, in 2025 it is Stockholm's turn and in 2026 Montreal in Canada will be the host city.

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Stordåhd Kommunikation AB with the magazine Dagens Infrastruktur is participating as a media partner at the event. Please visit us at booth AEG 05 and bring your current issue.

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