The launch of tunnel boring machine (TBM) Marine marks a significant milestone in the construction of line 15 East of the Grand Paris Express (GPE) and in the wider Technical Project Management Assistance (ATMO) programme led by SYSTRA.
Christened Marine on 25 September in honour of Marine Dondel, project manager for the Aubervilliers sector at the Société des Grands Projets (SGP), the TBM began excavation on 13 October from the Agnès shaft in Aubervilliers, at a depth of 25 metres.
Its task is to bore a 5-kilometre tunnel forming part of Package 2 of line 15 East, linking Bobigny and the Normandie-Niemen structure by the end of 2027. This marks the first section of line 15 East to be excavated.
The new TBM follows the earlier Sarah, which in 2022 completed 2.4 kilometres of tunnelling between the Agnès shaft and the Finot structure in Saint-Ouen.
A sustainable and efficient machine
Marine is the 32nd TBM deployed on the Grand Paris Express and was specially engineered to navigate the complex, variable geology of the Aubervilliers–Bobigny section. In line with SGP’s circular economy approach, the TBM incorporates reused components from previous machines used on the GPE, extending the lifespan of the equipment, reducing costs, and minimising waste.
ATMO: SYSTRA’s largest urban project in France
SYSTRA’s teams are heavily involved in the ATMO project, providing technical project management assistance for lines 15 East and 15 West.
Awarded in mid-2019, ATMO represents SYSTRA France’s largest-ever urban project, supporting the delivery of the fully underground line 15 — a ring route encircling the inner suburbs of the Paris metropolitan area. The line will ultimately link Pont-de-Sèvres to Champigny-Centre via Saint-Denis–Pleyel, improving regional connectivity and capacity across the Île-de-France region.
To manage a project of this scale and complexity, SGP has adopted an innovative design-build contract, with SYSTRA France assisting throughout every phase — from design and execution to commissioning. The completion of line 15 is scheduled for the end of 2031.
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