Second boring machine discharged at East Swanson

A SECOND tunnel boring machine to be used on the West Gate Tunnel has been discharged at Patrick Terminal’s East Swanson Dock in Melbourne.

The machine, named Vida, is follows another boring machine delivered recently named Bella.

Weighing 290 tonnes, Vida’s main drive was unloaded from the AAL Brisbane.

Vida is to work alongside Bella and be operational in the second half of 2019.

The Herrenknecht AG equipment is to build the 4km tunnel from Yarraville to the West Gate Freeway.

When operational at the end of 2022, the state government predicts the new West Gate Tunnel is expected to cut travel time by 20 minutes, remove 9000 trucks from local streets and reduce noise.