At present a ferry service operates between Krambatangi on central Suðuroy and the capital Tórshavn. The ferry is operated bythe nationaltransport companyStrandfaraskip Landsins and uses the vessel Smyril, taking two hours each way. In 2019, on average 1,000 passengers and 290 vehicles embarked the ferry per day. The frequency is either twice or three times per day, though the service is regularly cancelled due to adverse weather and heavy seas, since the Suðuroyarfjørður strait acts as a funnel for winds, swell and tides. This also cancels out the viability of a shorter ferry route between Sandoy and Suðuroy. In addition, there is a daily passenger ferry between Sandur and Skúvoy, up to five per day, of which most trips need to be reserved in advance. The island is also served by the thrice-weekly helicopter service between Tórshavn and Stóra Dímun. This helicopter connects twice-weekly onwards to Suðuroy, forming the only scheduled link between Suðuroy and any other of the southern islands. On Sandoy, the Sandoyartunnilin will connect the southern islands to Tórshavn and the rest of the country when it opens in 2023. It will replace the ferry service between Skopun and Gamlarætt.
Project
The calls for a fixed link to Suðuroy emerged after the success of the two earliest sub-sea tunnels in the Faroe Islands, the Vága- and Norðoyatunnilin in 2002 and 2006 respectively. The idea was further popularised with the construction of the Eysturoyar- and Sandoyartunnilin, which are under construction and to be completed in 2021 and 2023 respectively., Rather than a single tunnel between Suðuroy and Sandoy, public works authority Landsverk proposes to divide the link in three sections, coming to the surface twice. Landsverk's preferred scenario is: The total length of the first two sections is 24.5 kilometres, will cost 3.4 billion Danish krones, and is to be completed in 2030. A scenario without a stop at Skúvoy would be slightly cheaper, but would require the continuation of the existing ferry and helicopter services. Cutting the tunnels in multiple sections has the additional advantage that the two shorter sections can do without emergency tubes parallel to the car tunnel. The replacement of the Sandvíkartunnilin is necessary to accommodate modern-day requirements, as has already been done with the similar replacement of the Hvalbiartunnilin. Doubts exist concerning the financial viability of the project. Between 2018 and 2019, several samples have been drilled to study the bedrock geology. In 2020, 5 million Danish krones have been used on seismic analysis, test drills and a financial viability study.
