The first of two tunnel boring machines (TMBs) that will dig the final section of the Sydney Metro West line between the Bays and Hunter Street has been launched.

TBM Jessie will dig a 2.3km long tunnel from the Bays to Hunter Street in Sydney’s central business district (CBD). The machine was launched at the end of last month from The Bays.

It is the first TBM to start tunnelling for the Sydney Metro West – Eastern Tunnelling Package (ETP) – a 3.5km long twin tunnelled section of the metro project under Sydney Harbour between the Bays and Sydney CBD that includes the excavation of Pyrmont and Hunter Street stations.

The eastern section is the third and final major tunnelling package awarded on the project, which consists of a total of 24km of rail tunnels from Westmead to the Sydney CBD.

John Holland CPB Contractors Ghella Joint Venture (JCG) is responsible for the design and build of the tunnels for the ETP. It was awarded the contract by client New South Wales Government in November 2022.

A second – and final – TBM is due to be launched from the Bays later this year to support Jessie’s drive. TBM Jessie is expected to reach Hunter Street by mid-2025.

The TBMs will both start at the Bays and cross the harbour near the Anzac Bridge, before heading to the new Pyrmont Station and then under Darling Harbour before reaching Hunter Street Station in the heart of the CBD.

TBM Jessie is named in honour of Jessie Street, a prominent activist who championed women’s rights and fought against Aboriginal discrimination.

Australian transport minister Jo Haylen said: “A powerful machine deserves a powerful name, and we are honoured to name this mega machine after Jessie Street, one of our nation’s most prominent female activists.”

An Acciona and Ferrovial joint venture is responsible for Sydney Metro West’s central tunnelling package. This involves building 11km of twin tunnels and five new stations at the Bays, Five Dock, Burwood North, North Strathfield and Sydney Olympic Park.

Earlier this year, TBMs Beatrice and Daphne were relaunched from the Five Dock metro station site to bore the next part of the project between Five Dock metro station and Burwood North station on the central tunnelling package.

Two other TBMs, Betty and Dorothy, were expected to make significant progress on building the tunnels between Sydney Olympic Park and Westmead this year - the project's biggest year of tunnelling so far.

A total of six TBMs are being used carve out the Sydney Metro West line between Sydney central business district (CBD) and Westmead.

Once completed, the Sydney Metro West will double rail capacity between greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, with travel times of around 20 minutes between the two centres.