| Denmark is an important centre for international | | | | Sweden for those entering Sweden but not for |
| freight and it is therefore not surprising that it is | | | | those entering Denmark, again improving the |
| home to a remarkable feat of engineering that has | | | | efficiency of freight forwarding. |
| been a significant boost to the efficiency of freight | | | | Construction of the Oresund Bridge started in 1995 |
| forwarding between Denmark and Sweden. The | | | | and was completed in 1999. At first, the crossing was |
| Oresund Bridge is the longest combined rail and road | | | | not used as much as expected, most likely due to |
| bridge in Europe. The bridge combines two track | | | | the high cost of the tolls. However, traffic increased |
| railway and a four lane road bridge-tunnel across the | | | | markedly in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, nearly 25 million |
| Oresund strait. The bridge connects the two main | | | | people travelled over the bridge. |
| cities in the area - Copenhagen in Denmark and | | | | The Drogden Tunnel connects the artificial island of |
| Malmo in Sweden. The international route E30 runs | | | | Peberholm and Kastrup, the nearest part of Denmark. |
| across the bridge and through the tunnel. This is | | | | The 4050 metre long tunnel includes a 3510 metre |
| clearly a huge benefit for freight companies, which | | | | undersea tunnel and 270 metre entry tunnels at each |
| can now make the crossing faster then previously. | | | | end. The tube tunnel is made from twenty concrete |
| The Oresund Bridge was designed by the Danish | | | | segments, which at 55,000 tonnes each are the |
| architects, Dissing and Weitling and they designed it | | | | biggest prefabricated concrete segments in the |
| with a clear eye on the impact it would have for | | | | world. The reason for building a tunnel instead of just |
| shipping companies. As the crossing actually includes a | | | | another section of bridge is to avoid obstructing |
| bridge, a tunnel and an island, it is sometimes more | | | | aircraft from Copenhagen Airport and to provide a |
| accurately called the Oresund Link or Oresund | | | | clear section where shipping can pass. Again, the |
| Connection, rather than the Oresund Bridge. | | | | requirements of the freight services industry have |
| The structure weighs 82,000 tonnes and supports | | | | been fully taken into account in the way the bridge |
| the two railway tracks beneath four road lanes in a | | | | has been designed. |
| horizontal girder, supported every 140 metres by | | | | Passenger trains operate every twenty minutes over |
| concrete piers. The 490 metre cable-stayed main | | | | the crossing during the day and once an hour in the |
| span is the longest of the type in the world. The two | | | | night in both directions, as well as a considerable |
| pairs of free standing cable supporting towers are | | | | number of freight trains to support the freight |
| 204 metres, allowing shipping 57 metres of headroom | | | | transport industry. The rail section is in double track |
| to pass underneath. Even so, many a shipping | | | | standard gauge and capable of high speeds up to |
| company prefers its ships to pass through the | | | | 200 km/h, making freight transport streamlined and |
| Drogden Strait above the Drogden Tunnel instead. | | | | fast. |
| Although it crosses the border between Denmark | | | | The cost of the Oresund bridge has been calculated |
| and Sweden, an agreement called the Schengen | | | | at DKK 30 billion, with the cost of the bridge paid |
| Agreement means that there are no passport | | | | back by 2035. Sweden has also started building the |
| controls. This is a big benefit for freight companies. | | | | Malmo City Tunnel as a new rail connection to the |
| There are often customs checks at the toll booths in | | | | bridge, which will be ready in 2011. |