CREG Unveils 15.7m TBM for Sydney's Western Harbour Tunnel Package 2
CREG TBM 1459: Final Assembly Complete
Another milestone has been reached in the delivery of Sydney’s massive Western Harbour Tunnel — this time, not on site but nearly 8,000km away in China, where one of the world’s largest and most advanced Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) has just completed production.
Unveiled this week, CREG TBM 1459 is now officially off the production line and preparing for its journey to Australia. The 15.7-metre diameter slurry TBM is headed to deliver Package 2 of the Western Harbour Tunnel — a pivotal infrastructure link beneath Sydney Harbour.
A World-Class Machine for a World-Class Tunnel
Measuring a staggering 15.7 metres in diameter, this is the largest TBM CREG has ever exported outside of China — and one of the biggest of its kind in the world. The company China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd, regarded as one of the fastest emerging TBM manufacturers globally, has outfitted TBM 1459 with new-generation automation features.
It incorporates advanced automation technologies, including automatic cutter change robots, cutterhead flushing units and spacer grabbing robots. These innovations work in tandem with real-time monitoring, automated guidance systems and enhanced tunnelling precision, efficiency and safety.
According to Chinese state media sources like Dahe News and Zhengzhou High-Tech Zone, the TBM incorporates advanced intelligent control systems, allowing greater precision and speed in complex geological conditions — a crucial capability for boring beneath Sydney Harbour.
Indigenous Art Meets Engineering Excellence
What’s also remarkable — and uniquely Australian — is the striking Indigenous artwork painted across the TBM’s cutterhead. This thoughtful touch reflects a growing movement in infrastructure to acknowledge and celebrate First Nations culture in major public works. It’s not just a machine — it’s a symbol of cultural respect meeting engineering progress.
We’ve Been Tracking Infrastructure Projects in NSW For Some Time Now
Back in mid-2023, we reported on the launch of ‘Catherine’ — the Earth Pressure Balance TBM built by Herrenknecht in Europe, which was deployed on a separate Sydney Metro tunnelling project. At the time, Herrenknecht was the go-to name for complex tunnel builds in Australia.
Fast forward to 2025, and we’re now seeing a shift. With CREG entrusted to design and deliver TBM 1459 for the Western Harbour Tunnel, this moment symbolises the rapid rise of CREG as a preferred global supplier of large-diameter, high-tech TBMs — especially for projects of national significance like this.
🔗 Read our 2023 update on the Sydney Metro TBM launch here
Earlier this year, we also flagged the Western Harbour Tunnel as one of Australia’s key infrastructure projects of 2025 — expected to generate thousands of jobs and improve transport connectivity across New South Wales.
🔗 View the full 2025 infrastructure projects breakdown
What’s Next?
CREG TBM 1459 will soon be shipped to Sydney and assembled on-site for its 6.5km journey beneath the harbour — marking a key phase in delivering the Sydney's Western Harbour Tunnel’s second package.
As always, we’ll be watching closely and reporting key milestones for job seekers, contractors, and industry stakeholders. Want to stay in the loop on tunnelling jobs and civil infrastructure news down under? Follow us at ConstructionJobsAustralia.com and across our social channels for real-time updates.