The Fehmarn Belt Tunnel will not only bring the European market closer to Denmark when it is completed in 2029. Even now, it is attracting opportunities from Southern Europe, where major international companies like SICE and COBRA have established themselves in Denmark to help realize this enormous infrastructure project.
About SICE, COBRA, and the Femern Systems Contractors Consortium
The consortium FSC, Femern Systems Contractors Consortium, operates in both Denmark and Germany with assistance from 360 Law Firm in their work on the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel. They have won the task of designing and constructing the tunnel’s technical installations, a project worth nearly EUR 600 million.
The consortium is composed of companies from the two multinational groups SICE and Grupo Cobra.
The impressive multi-billion-euro project, the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel, will connect Denmark and Germany starting in 2029, allowing the journey from Rødby to Puttgarden to take just seven minutes by train or ten minutes by car. The potential for new trade opportunities and interaction across the belt is only speculative at this point. However, it is already clear that this ambitious infrastructure project will create enormous potential when completed, significantly binding Europe closer together.
Connecting Northern Europe Attracts Multinational Corporations
Visiting the large construction site in Rødby, you will experience an unparalleled level of activity. Global players have moved in to realize the project. Two of these companies are the Spanish firms SICE and COBRA, both owned by French Vinci. Through the consortium Femern Systems Contractors (FSC), they have won a contract worth nearly EUR 600 million for the design and construction of the technical installations inside the tunnel.*
The participation of the FSC consortium was announced in 2022 by Henrik Vincentsen, CEO of Femern A/S, who stated:
“Today we have formally signed the important contract for the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel’s installations. The contract is crucial for us to deliver a completed tunnel by 2029, powered by renewable electricity and with energy-efficient installations. SICE-COBRA brings extensive international experience and expertise from other construction projects, and we look forward to working with the consortium to find the best possible solutions.”**
A Serious Consortium Focused on Creating Opportunities
SICE and COBRA already have experience with tunnels and infrastructure projects in the Nordic region. In Sweden, they have been involved in the Stockholm Metro North and South projects, the Tingstad Tunnel in Gothenburg, and in Norway, they have implemented technical installations on 23 kilometers of motorway between Ranheim and Værnes, including 15 kilometers of tunnel sections.
Despite being global players, SICE and COBRA naturally operate locally. As with other major contracts on the Fehmarn project, it is expected that a significant number of subcontractors are needed for the consortium, creating opportunities for growth and job creation in the local area. Further, it is a requirement that apprentices be hired, thus laying the foundation for future craftsmen through the construction of what SICE and COBRA describe as “one of Europe’s most iconic infrastructure projects”** during the contract signing in 2022.
From One to 400 Employees
Division Director at Grupo Cobra, Jose Manuel Olivares, leads the tunnel work for the SICE-COBRA collaboration, FSC Consortium.
Jose was the first person on the project in Denmark and Germany, where the initial task was to establish the consortium legally in Denmark. This task was safeguarded by 360 Law Firm, which provided advice and legal assistance as local legal experts.
“We needed to establish our two companies, SICE and Grupo Cobra, in Denmark as a unified consortium, Femern Systems Contractors Consortium. In this context, we investigated which law firms could assist with this task. 360 Law Firm was recommended by another Spanish company that had already received help with a similar task of establishing itself in Denmark. It was also a plus that 360 Law Firm has in-house expertise in Spanish law, as our headquarters are in Spain.”
The division director was the first employee on the project, however, the expectation is that 400 employees are needed to complete it. Additionally, local subcontractors will be hired for tasks during the project period***.
Looking for Opportunities to Increase Engagement in Denmark
As a large international player with global competencies and experience, it is highly valuable that 360 Law Firm can introduce SICE-COBRA to relevant players in sectors such as data centers and life sciences, which require complex enterprises.
Although the task on the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel extends until 2029, Jose Manuel Olivares is already looking for new opportunities to expand the global consortium’s activities in Denmark.
“As division director, it is also my job to find the next possible project. I am actively looking at opportunities in Denmark to expand our activities here. We depend on finding the next project, so this is something that goes hand in hand with our dedicated work on the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel task.”
“This means that our engagement in Denmark is significant now that we are established here. Likewise, in collaboration with local actors, we are looking for new opportunities. I find great value in working with a local advisor who not only looks at the legal aspects but also contributes with business understanding and interesting opportunities by activating their network for me as a client in the way 360 Law Firm does,” concludes Jose Manuel Olivares.
* Source: https://www.sice.com/en/blog/2022/06/29/spanish-consortium-conformed-by-sice-and-cobra-is-awarded-the-contract-to-implement-the-electromechanical-installations-in-fehmarnbelt-tunnel-for-over-500-million-eur/
** Source: https://femern.com/press/news/sign-multi-billion-contract/
*** Source: https://folketidende.dk/femern/sice-cobra-vi-har-gavn-af-lokalt-netvaerk
About the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel
The Fehmarn Belt Tunnel is Denmark’s largest infrastructure project, designed to connect Denmark with Europe via the world’s longest immersed tunnel for cars and trains. The 18-kilometer tunnel will make it possible to travel from Rødby to Puttgarden in just 10 minutes by car – and seven minutes by train!
Additionally, the Fehmarn Belt connection is part of a greener transport corridor in Europe, enhancing the transport of goods by electric trains.
Business Lolland-Falster’s CEO: A Great Potential for Business Development
Business Lolland-Falster works to attract new companies to Lolland-Falster, and the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel has become a game-changer, says Mikkel Wesselhoff, CEO of Business Lolland-Falster,
“Now foreign companies are looking our way, and they are making their investments. This is a major breakthrough, and things are really moving forward. The region will experience a massive economic upswing in the coming years. The demand for business establishment areas is already increasing, and the potential is huge. We are now seeing the concrete results of the extensive groundwork that has been done over several years. Looking to the future, this heralds a new era where foreign investors are noticing Lolland-Falster,” says Mikkel Wesselhoff.
Business Lolland-Falster’s CEO has followed the Fehmarn project for many years and is very pleased with the way local companies have managed to become part of the project and secure tasks.
“Companies in Lolland-Falster have prepared thoroughly, and they are ready to take on tasks that require cross-border and cross-cultural collaboration. They now know what is required of them, and there are actually more opportunities for subcontractors in the production phase. Now it’s time to cultivate the contacts that have already been established and be proactive,” says Mikkel Wesselhoff.
Read more about Business Lolland-Falster at www.businesslf.dk
