Historic tunnel breakthrough achieved by “Mary” – ARC congratulates Hampton Roads & VDOT

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC) congratulates the Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) on achieving the final breakthrough of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) "Mary" for the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion Project.

“TBM ‘Mary’s’ work is an amazing feat of engineering that has played a critical role in transportation in the Hampton Roads area, including my district,” said Representative Robert J. Wittman (R-VA-1). “It is gratifying to see that a U.S.-flag carrier supported this project, transporting ‘Mary’ to Norfolk from overseas. It is a demonstration of the importance of a commercially viable and militarily useful U.S.-flag fleet to this nation.”

"We are proud that our specialized U.S.-flag service played a vital role in the supply chain for a project that will dramatically improve commerce and quality of life for the citizens of Hampton Roads,” said Christopher Barber, ARC Group Senior Director of Sales. “Seeing 'Mary' complete her work underscores the importance of reliable shipping and logistics in launching and sustaining major infrastructure initiatives across the United States.”

ARC Group served as the logistics partner for this game-changing project. ARC's specialized fleet successfully transported the massive, custom-built TBM from Germany to the Port of Norfolk in November 2021. This required a unique heavy-lift capability, as the assembled "Mary" is 46 feet tall, over 430 feet long, and weighs more than 9 million pounds.

The successful completion of the second tunnel's bore marks a milestone for Virginia's largest-ever highway construction project, bringing the Hampton Roads region one step closer to significantly reducing traffic congestion. The safe and timely delivery of the machine, which is now nearing the end of its mission, was a critical first step in enabling the entire tunneling phase.

“The final breakthrough of TBM 'Mary' is a triumph of American engineering and a testament to collaboration across HRCP, VDOT, Transport Overseas Group and ARC Group," Barber continued.

With the tunneling now complete, work will continue to outfit the new tunnels, which are scheduled to open when the HRBT Expansion Project is finished in 2027.