photo: web

The world's largest tunneling machine for hard rock, built by China Railway Tunnel Group was assembled and put into use in Georgia to help extend local transportation system and boost local economic development.

The tunneling machine will be used in the construction of Kvesheti-Kobi road project, a major north-south traffic expressway corridor in the country and also infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the firm responsible for the project.

The tunneling machine has a diameter of 15.08 meters and a length of 182 meters, with a total weight of 3,900 tons and a total power of 9,900 kilowatts kW, making it world's largest tunnel boring machine in diameter.

The machine was jointly developed by China Railway Tunnel Bureau Group and China Railway Engineering Equipment Group, using Chinese design and Chinese standards.

The Kvesheti-Kobi road project built by China Railway Tunnel Group includes a 9,000 meter long main tunnel. It is the largest single infrastructure project under construction in Georgia and will shorten the traffic hour of the line from 1 hour to 20 minutes.