STUVA Conference 2025 in Hamburg

The time has finally come again this year: STUVA is pleased to invite you to the International Forum for Tunnels and Infrastructure, which only takes place every two years. As always, the entire industry will meet here to discuss everything that is currently of interest to tunnel builders and operators – and in turbulent times like these, that should be quite a lot! The STUVA Conference has long since developed into one of the world‘s leading meeting places in the industry. More than 4000 trade visitors from over 20 countries regularly come together here – even by international standards, the STUVA Conference is one of the most important events in the tunnelling industry. The special atmosphere in Hamburg will also be provided by the tried-and-tested mixture of hand-picked lecture series (Fig. 2) with simultaneous translation (German/English and English/German) and, of course, the large STUVA Expo trade exhibition. The STUVA Conference is simply the right place to get first-hand information on the latest industry topics, cultivate existing networks and make new business contacts.

This year, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA), the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) and the German Tunnelling Committee (DAUB) are once again supporting the event. On the first two conference days, the International Forum for Tunnels and Infrastructure will offer a wide-ranging lecture program with more than 60 selected presentations . The parallel series of lectures on tunnel construction and tunnel operation in two halls will provide in-depth first-hand insights into fascinating major projects and current research.

Conference Programme

The STUVA had already launched the call for papers to its association members in November 2024. Proposals for papers for the conference could be submitted until the end of January 2025. The conference programme will be compiled from the proposals submitted by an external scientific programme committee and finally approved by the STUVA Executive Board. As there are usually more papers submitted than can be presented in the time available, we ask for your understanding that not all proposals may be considered. The selected presentations will be announced by mid-May 2025.

All in Favour of Hamburg

The Hanseatic city of Hamburg is the perfect venue for the STUVA Conference in 2025, as the future of mobility is being created here currently. The city has undertaken nothing less than the conversion of its underground railway network into one of Europe‘s ultra-modern metro systems. This is why there will be spectacular major construction sites all over Hamburg in 2025 for the extension of the U4 and, above all, the new construction of the U5 line. This will connect the entire city from east to west. Fully automated, it will be able to run at 90-second intervals at peak times. STUVA ‘25 will therefore be focussing on these mega projects on site. So you can already look forward to in-depth and exclusive first-hand insights into this project of the century from fellow experts directly involved in the projects.

However, in addition to the spectacular Hamburg projects, the STUVA Conference 2025 will of course also focus on all other current topics in tunnel construction and operation. After all, it is precisely the broad diversity that makes the lecture series so attractive. So let‘s look forward together to a packed programme of lectures that will once again cover the entire broad spectrum of underground construction and operation in 2025.

Parallel Presentations for Tunnel Construction and Tunnel Operation

The range of topics in the Tunnel construction segment will include, among others: Current developments in underground construction, major international projects, safety during tunnel construction, design, construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, research, mechanised tunnelling/construction methods in difficult ground, sustainability, energy production and use, reduction of CO₂ emissions and economic efficiency, contract design and financing.

In the tunnel operation segment, the focus is on the following topics: New guidelines and regulations, safety equipment, innovative safety concepts, retrofitting, modernisation, risk management, tunnel management, tunnel control technology, road user behaviour, lighting and emergency guidance systems, fire protection and fire detection, and digitalisation in tunnelling (BIM).

STUVA Conference With Accompanying Exhibition STUVA Expo

The conference will be accompanied by the STUVA Expo exhibition (Fig. 3), which has grown in size in recent years. Approximately 200 international exhibitors will present their products and services to trade visitors. The STUVA Conference in Hamburg will therefore also be accompanied by an exhibition environment that offers visitors a focused view of the innovations in our tunnelling industry. If you are considering becoming an exhibitor yourself, you can find all the information you need at www.stuva-expo.de.

Secure your ideal stand now at STUVA Expo, the business platform for the tunnelling industry. But don‘t wait too long, as most of the available exhibition space has already been allocated. Your competitors know why: in the last survey in 2023, 96 % of exhibitors rated the importance of STUVA Expo 2023 for the industry as very important and important, and an impressive 95 % plan to be back again in 2025.

By the way: Visitors will still be able to attend the exhibition free of charge.

Exclusive Construction Site Visits on the Third Day

The third day of STUVA ‘25 is traditionally marked by exclusive site visits. In small groups, participants will gain an in-depth insight into a project from specialists working on the site. Rarely have there been so many highly attractive destinations as in 2025, as Hamburg is currently completely reinventing itself in terms of inner-city public transport. The construction of the new underground lines U4 (Fig. 4) and U5 is revolutionising transport links in this city of millions and will ensure unprecedented accessibility between the individual districts. The Fehmarnsund crossing and Fehmarnbelt tunnel (Fig. 5), major construction sites that will make an important contribution to the European traffic transformation, are also close by. Whatever you decide to do during the free excursion for conference delegates and exhibitors, you can be sure of a spectacular experience.

Youth Forum

Since 2010, the “Youth Forum” has given up-and-coming talents in the tunnelling industry the opportunity not only to speak in front of the numerous experts in the plenary session of the STUVA Conference, but also to win the attractive STUVA Youth Forum award (Fig. 6). The audience of professionals will decide the winner. The award ceremony will take place during the festive evening event. The competition is open to young engineers or employees up to the age of 35 from all areas of tunnelling and the associated operation of transport facilities. Participants in the Youth Forum should already have some practical or academic experience and be able to report on the latest developments in their field. Approximately five of the proposals submitted by the end of January 2025 will be selected for the Youth Forum lecture event.

Previous award winners:

2010 Dr. Jan-Niklas Franzius

2011 Dr.-Ing. Anna-Lena Hammer

2013 Mag. (FH) Susanne Fehleisen

2015 Dipl.-Ing. Nina Wassmann

2019 Dr.-Ing. Ivan Popovic

2021 Sophie Escherich, M. Sc. and Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Kube

STUVA Prize

At the conference in Hamburg, the STUVA will award the STUVA Prize 2025 for notable innovations in the field of underground construction (Fig. 7). Since 1996, the prize has been awarded every two years for outstanding personal achievements or exceptional overall projects in the fields of planning, construction, operation, safety, environmental protection, theory or marketing.

Previous prize winners:

1996 Ltd. Baudirektor Rolf Bielecki

1999 Dipl.-Ing. Claus Becker

2001 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Brameshuber

2003 Project NEAT, Switzerland

2005 Dr.-Ing. E.h. Martin Herrenknecht

2007 Projekt Betouweroute, Netherlands

2009 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Heinz Duddeck

2011 Project Citybanan, Stockholm

2013 Baurat h.c. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. mont. Georg-Michael

Vavrovsky

2015 Project Wehrhahn-Linie Düsseldorf

2017 Deutsche Bahn AG

2019 Dipl.-Ing. Felix Amberg

2021 Project Karlsruhe Combined Solution

2023 Dipl.-Ing. Heinz Ehrbar

The STUVA is calling for nominations for a worthy winner of the 2025 prize! The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2025.

“Moin” in Hamburg!

There are many good reasons for attending the STUVA Conference and each of our guests will find something different particularly important – be it the lively STUVA Expo with around 200 exhibiting companies on several thousand square metres, the top-class lectures, the exclusive construction site tours or the great atmosphere at the legendary big festive evening (Fig. 8). But one thing is certain: everything together will once again offer the very special STUVA Conference experience in 2025. Nowhere else can industry contacts be made in such a pleasant and effective way as at the ‘family reunion of the tunnelling industry’. The STUVA is looking forward to three intensive days with you!