The Faroe Islands are moving forward with plans for their most ambitious undersea tunnel yet. A proposed 23-kilometer tunnel would connect the southern island of Suðuroy to the main island network. This would become the fifth subsea tunnel in the archipelago and the longest by far.
Suðuroy currently houses about 4,500 residents who depend entirely on ferry connections to the capital Tórshavn. The journey takes two hours each way. The new tunnel would cut travel time in half and provide all-weather access.
Teitur Samuelsen, director of the public tunnel company P/F Suðuroyartunnilin, sees this as the final piece in connecting the nation. He said the Faroes have spent 25 years linking their largest islands. This project would connect 99 percent of the population across 18 islands to just a few main islands.
Prime Minister Aksel Johannesen argues the tunnel is necessary to address Suðuroy's demographic challenges. The island has the country's highest unemployment, lowest birth rate, and lowest average income. He points to Sandoy as evidence that tunnels can reverse negative trends. Sandoy saw population growth after its tunnel opened.
The project carries a preliminary price tag of 5 billion Danish kroner. Both Landsbanki Føroya and the Faroese Economic Council have warned the islands cannot afford this massive investment. Economist Johnny í Grótinum calls it irresponsible to proceed with loan-financed projects while facing unsustainable public finances.
Johannesen counters that the current ferry service costs 80-90 million kroner annually. A new ferry would cost about 1 billion kroner with a 25-year lifespan. He believes tunnel financing over 30 years could be partly covered by ferry operation savings.
Unlike the profitable Eysturoy tunnel, the Suðuroy tunnel will never break even from user fees alone. Traffic volume remains too low. Economic analyses suggest a shorter ferry route between Suðuroy and Sandoy makes better financial sense.
The Faroe Islands have built tunnels since the 1960s, with four undersea tunnels completed since the early 2000s. The Vágatunnilin (4.9 km), Norðoyatunnilin (6.2 km), Eysturoyartunnilin (11.2 km), and Sandoyatunnilin (10.8 km) currently connect the main islands.
Historically, these projects have transformed life in the archipelago. They eliminated weather-dependent ferry crossings and created a connected road network across once-separated islands. The proposed Suðuroy tunnel represents both the culmination of this vision and its greatest financial challenge.
The public consultation period ends tomorrow. Parliament will then conduct its first reading before Christmas. A final decision awaits both a parliamentary election and precise cost calculations. The project's scale means it would dominate the Faroese economy for years.
This comes as Norway approves its own record-breaking 27-kilometer undersea tunnel between Stavanger and Haugesund. The Faroese project would rank among the world's longest undersea road tunnels despite serving a much smaller population.
The debate reveals a fundamental tension in Faroese development strategy. Politicians feel compelled to complete the physical unification of their nation. Economists worry about locking into massive debt before addressing structural budget issues. The outcome will shape the islands' future for generations.