After more than a year of technical inspections, missing certificates, and temporary approvals, there are now signs that the special vessel Ivy, which is central to the construction of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel, is on the verge of its final approval. Several crucial approvals are already in place, and the last formal acceptance can come at any time.
In recent weeks, the process of getting Ivy approved has gained momentum, and a series of certificates were issued at the beginning of 2026. At the same time, the vessel has received a Danish safety approval. This indicates that Det Norske Veritas, which approves Ivy on behalf of the Danish Maritime Authority, sees the vessel as nearly ready for the task. Now only the final steps remain, but some formal points still need to be closed.
Ivy has long been one of two central obstacles in the progress of the large construction project. Without the vessel, the most crucial phase cannot begin. It is here that the large tunnel elements must be handled and lowered into place in the tunnel trench with such high precision that they can be connected underwater and eventually form an 18-kilometre-long concrete chain under the Fehmarn Belt.
The quality of the tunnel trench
The quality of the tunnel trench is the other major issue. The main contractor, Fehmarn Link Contractors, has long refused to take over the trench as it is, and FemernBusiness has been able to show data indicating large holes and irregularities. Meanwhile, Sund & Bælt has maintained that only minor adjustments are needed. Officially, the statement is that "the discussion about the quality of the tunnel trench is part of contractual negotiations."
On 21 January, Sund & Bælt stated in a press release that the first part of the tunnel trench was now being prepared. A few days later, Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V) informed the Danish Parliament that the Dispute Review Board had asked Femern Link Contractors to commence work on the submersion, and the contractor has therefore started preparing the first 650 metres of the tunnel trench. However, the briefing does not mention the cost of repairing the first 650 metres or who will pay for that part, which is essentially the main point of contention in the case.
The repair is expected to take just over two months, if the weather is normal, after which the trench should be ready to receive the first tunnel elements. Once the first tunnel elements are in place, a revised construction schedule is expected to be issued.
Conflict level
Documents from the Ministry of Transport show that up until 4 December 2025, the plan was for the first tunnel element to be submerged in February. But the plan fell through when the maritime authorities revoked the Ivy vessel's temporary sailing certificate and detained the vessel, delaying the final approval.
The situation with Ivy and the tunnel trench coincides with a conflict level that has long since moved away from ordinary operational problems. Sund & Bælt and Femern Link Contractors disagree on both the schedule, responsibility, and quality, and the contractor has made a financial claim of DKK 14.5 billion. At the same time, an international arbitration case concerning delays is ongoing, citing corona. This means that even when the final approvals are in place, the next step is still entangled in a conflict over who will pay for the trench preparation and what additional costs will result from the delays.
The conflict has simultaneously drawn the Ministry of Transport into the matter. FemernBusiness has previously described how department head Jacob Heinsen has become a central figure in the open confrontation with the main contractor and the French Vinci top management. This has further heightened the level of conflict because the dispute now involves not only technical and contractual issues but also the relationship between the client, contractor, and the state.
The development has also triggered criticism of the management. Professor of administrative law Frederik Waage from the University of Southern Denmark has pointed out that the conflicts raise questions about how the project is being managed, and he has called the collaboration concerning.
