Since the publication of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1869 up until the dawn of today’s sci-fi thrillers such as Stargate Atlantis, the concept of underwater exploration and civilization has captured the imagination of the public. Now, facing problems like overpopulation, rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, humanity is seeking alternative living environments, and with ever-progressing technology, life under the sea no longer seems all that unrealistic.

In fact, some small underwater habitats already exist, and we have the technology to create and maintain larger ones that could easily support human sustenance. Might it be possible that one day there will be an entire network of undersea cities, brimming with futuristic technology and advanced ways of living? And if it is, how would these sub-aquatic societies be connected? 

Undersea Tunnels, a Brief History

Undersea tunnels, the most likely method of transportation in a world submerged by water, are not a new concept. In fact, the earliest example of such engineering endeavors dates back to around 2100 BCE, when the Babylonians used a tunnel to divert the Euphrates River. It wasn’t until the 19^th century that the world saw a succession of more challenging tunnel projects, made possible by vast improvements in surveying and ventilation techniques.

The first notion of the Channel Tunnel, which connects England and France, was proposed to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 by a French engineer named Mathieu-Favier, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that it became a reality. Instead, London’s Thames Tunnel became the first modern undersea tunnel in 1843, taking almost 20 years to complete. The tunnel was originally designed for, but never used by, horse-drawn carriages.

Noting the comparable advantages undersea tunnels have over bridges, such as their ability to divert traffic and not be affected by external factors such as wind or rain, city planners began incorporating them into city layouts in the late 1800s. But, at the time, the methods used to construct these tunnels consisted mainly of excavating in painstakingly small increments, and were incredibly time consuming.

The game changed in 1903 with a construction project beneath the Detroit River in America when engineers used a method that involved anchoring premade sections of steel tube into a pre-dug trench on the river floor. Then, in 1971, a new era of underwater tunneling began with the construction of the Seikan Railroad Tunnel, which currently stretches 53.85 kilometers beneath the Tsugaru Strait in Japan. Instead of using the antiquated tunneling techniques of the past, tunnel builders began to utilize giant tunnel boring machines to make the process go faster. Since then, tunneling projects that could once only be conceptualized have become a reality.

The Eurasia Tunnel Project, for example, is a 14.6 kilometer-long road tunnel that will link Europe and Asia via the Bosporus Strait, and is currently in the last stages of construction. It is a project that has long been discussed and aims to reduce traffic in Istanbul, the second-worst European city in terms of traffic congestion.

Tunneling to the Future

Of course transportation tunnels like these would be vital in aquatic lands, but a sustainable undersea city would also need gas, oil, electricity and, most importantly, oxygen. Yet, some of these types of undersea tunnels exist, and are constantly being positioned across the waters of the world.

In the most recent tunnel developments, POSCO, in coordination with GS Caltex and Jeonnam Development Coorporation, has made plans to construct a 3.98 kilometer-long undersea tunnel connecting Gwangyang Port and Yeosu Industrial Complex by the first half of 2019.

POSCO Green Gas Technology will use the undersea pipe network to supply syngas produced at the Gwangyang SNG Plant to GS Caltex, which will then use the syngas for petroleum refining and enhancing processes. Furthermore, the undersea tunnel will minimize risks associated with transport and establish an efficient undersea logistics infrastructure by reducing production and logistical costs.

POSCO’s gas pipeline tunnel is indicative of what is to come. Perhaps the undersea tunnels of the future will allow for the transportation of fresh drinking water, alternative energy resources or even food sources from faraway lands. But with real-life projects concerning tunnels between Morocco and Spain, Japan and South Korea and the mainland of Canada and Prince Edward Island on the table, it is clear that such possibilities are not only realistic, but also limitless.

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POSCO, on August 31st at the ‘Istanbul-Gyeongju World Culture Expo, held in Istanbul, Turkey, opened their POSCO booth to proactively promote the company to expo attendees. As of September 9th, 24,000 attendees visited the POSCO booth and experienced the status of Korea’s representative steel company.

On August 31st, ten hours prior to the opening of the expo, the POSCO booth, which was located at the Beyazit Meydani (square), was opened with the attendance of 30 personnel including Executive Director Lee Bokseong and POSCO ASSAN TST President Kwon Jongwon, as well as POSCO officers.

Executive Director Lee Bokseong, in his congratulatory speech, said, “We expect that this event will promote our local subsidiaries and companies including POSCO ASSAN TST•POSCO TNPC, which are the bases to enter the Europe steel market.”

The POSCO booth titled ‘POSCO Steel Gallery’ is designed as a gallery type of exhibition. The POSCO booth is the only corporate booth located at Beyazit Meydani and will be open until September 22nd, for 23 days.

The booth is divided into the ‘Gallery Zone’ and ‘Culture Zone,’ where the ‘Gallery Zone’ features the steel civilization which started in ancient Turkey as well as the introduction of 《Jikji Simche Yojeol (Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests’ Zen Teachings)》 which is the world’s first book printed from metal blocks, up to POSCO’s steel products and the global chain including affiliates and local subsidiaries.

Further, to promote the local subsidiary in Turkey, social contribution activities of each production base and POSCO ASSAN TST are introduced, as well as an exhibition of an automobile steel plate sample featuring the technology and product of POSCO TNPC.

In the ‘Culture Zone,’ videos of various forms of steel in our everyday lives are played on 4 touch screens, and the beautiful sound made by steel instruments show the happiness of mankind through steel.

Various promotional activities are also displayed outside of the POSCO booth, and the building’s exterior introduces the many businesses that the POSCO Family is globally involved in through a graphic panel, and the large ride facilities that connect to the exterior of the booth and the rooftop terrace with artificial grass on the second floor provide a resting area for attendees.

Once the POSCO booth closes, POSCO plans to move the exhibition articles to POSCO ASSAN TST and POSCO TNPC to build a PR center at each subsidiary.