The Webuild Group, in consortium with Ghella, Pizzarotti and SELI, has been awarded a 1.6 billion EUR contract for the Paola–Cosenza section of the Salerno–Reggio Calabria high-speed rail line in Italy.

Webuild holds a 60% share of the contract, which has been commissioned by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), part of the FS Italiane Group.

The project involves doubling 22.2 kilometres of railway, most of it underground, including construction of the new Santomarco Tunnel. At more than 15 kilometres in length, the twin-tube tunnel will run roughly 100 metres from the existing single-track tunnel, which will be decommissioned when works are complete. Excavation will employ four tunnel boring machines.