The Grand Paris Express continues to write its underground history. On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Société des grands projets christened the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) on line 15 Est "Marine". A simple yet powerful name, chosen as a tribute to Marine Dondel, project manager in Aubervilliers and a key figure in the Société des grands projets for over ten years.
From the Agnès shaft in Aubervilliers, the metal giant is preparing to dig 5.5 kilometers of tunnel to reach Bobigny in autumn 2027. After several months of assembly, its impressive 10-meter-diameter cutting wheel was lowered last July: "Marine" is now ready to plunge into the earth of the Ile-de-France region.
This launch marks a first: it's the first tunnel boring machine on the Grand Paris Express to be launched under a design-build contract, a contractual arrangement that combines design and construction from the outset of the project. A more integrated approach for an extraordinary project.
Behind this challenge, the IRIS consortium, headed by Bouygues Travaux Publics, is leading the way. Its role: dig the tunnel between Aubervilliers and Bobigny, equip eight kilometers of galleries, build three new stations - Mairie d'Aubervilliers, Fort d'Aubervilliers and Drancy-Bobigny - and complete several integrated structures and real estate projects.
In 2031, line 15, 75 km long, will form the largest metro loop in France.
