This pioneering infrastructure will enable full-scale ships to pass underground. With work on the ground scheduled to begin in early 2027, the artificial canal will cross the narrowest point of the Stad peninsula, connecting the Moldefjord to Kjødepollen in the Vanylvsfjord, and reshaping the coastal shipping map of Norway's west coast.

The main goal of this undertaking is to create a safe alternative route to bypass the Stadhavet Sea. This body of ocean is unanimously classified by maritime authorities as one of the areas most exposed to storms, cyclonic winds, and violent currents along the country's entire coastline.

These conditions systematically cause severe delays, logistical disruptions, and the risk of shipwreck for fishing fleets, cargo ships, and passenger vessels.

By carving 1.7 kilometres of solid rock, an extension that reaches 2.2 kilometres when access roads and docks are included, the Norwegian government aims to ensure regularity, predictable schedules, and enhanced crew safety in commercial and civil traffic.

Unlike pre-existing river canals or tunnels worldwide, which were designed only for recreational barges or small ships, the Stad gallery will boast a monumental volume. The structure will have a total height of 50 metres from the base to the ceiling and a width of 36 metres.

This will ensure an air draft of 33 metres above the waterline. This clearance will allow the passage of large vessels, including coastal cruise ships from the prestigious companies Hurtigruten and Kystruten.

To make this colossal span possible, the engineering consortia foresee extracting approximately three million cubic meters of rock. This operation will be carried out over an estimated five years using conventional drilling and blasting methods.

The project's financial journey, however, was marked by severe political turmoil and escalating costs. The country's parliament (Storting) had approved construction in 2021. The executive branch proposed freezing the initiative at the end of 2025 after bids submitted by competing companies far exceeded the initial allocations.

The impasse was overcome during the revision of the State Budget. During this process, MPs approved a maximum budget ceiling of 8.588 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately €774.6 million).

They immediately reserved 150 million kroner (€13.5 million) for the completion of negotiation rounds and the construction site setup.

The race to win the main engineering contract has narrowed down to three major international competitors: the local construction company AF Gruppen, the French firm Eiffage Génie Civil, and the multinational consortium Skanska/Vassbakk & Stol. Einar Vik Arset, Director-General of the Norwegian Coastal Administration, assured that the services are ready to initiate the post-tender administrative processes.

The project is expected to generate significant local employment and enhance international collaboration, maintaining the target date for formal opening to navigation set for 2032.