Seventeenth caisson of New Genoa Breakwater installed Production of the protective armour blocks to safeguard the base of the structure has started

• A 33 metre high and 67 metre long caisson—equivalent to an 11 storey building—built at the Vado Ligure site has been set in place
• On seabed, consolidation and dredging works continue, and activities are underway to install a new salt water supply pipe for the Acquario di Genova

GENOA, March 31, 2026 – The construction site of the New Genoa Breakwater marks another significant milestone with the installation of the 17th caisson by the PerGenova Breakwater consortium, led by Webuild, which is doing the project on behalf of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority. The operation concerned one of the most imposing structures of the entire project: with its 33 metres in height and 67 metres in length, the concrete block has a mass comparable to that of an 11 storey building.

In parallel, production has begun on the protective blocks: prefabricated pieces of reinforced concrete designed to safeguard the base of the breakwater. Each block measures 2.5 metres in width and 5 metres in length, with a height of up to 2.5 metres. Their purpose is to absorb the energy of the waves, ensuring the breakwater’s stability and resistance against marine forces.

Preparatory work is proceeding ahead of the construction of the superstructure, the portion of the breakwater that will emerge out of the water and establish access to the port. The empty cells of the caissons are being filled with concrete in order to make the caissons solid masses that will dissipate wave energy. This section will be built offshore, where a complex floating construction site – barges, concrete mixers, support vessels and lifting equipment – will operate along the alignment of the future breakwater like a mobile work site. Once completed, the superstructure will form a long, continuous walkway.

Below the water’s surface, seabed consolidation continues, with over 4.5 million tonnes of gravel and aggregate already poured. This phase relies on a fleet of around 10 vessels with capacities ranging from 500 to 38,000 tonnes, ensuring uninterrupted operations.

In parallel, near the eastern access channel, work is underway on the underground section of a new salt water intake pipe for the Acquario di Genova. Excavations are being done at night to avoid interfering with port traffic, in coordination with the Harbour Office, pilots, mooring services and port terminal operators.

Offshore, the dredging fleet – consisting of three specialised vessels – has already removed nearly 160,000 cubic metres of sediment from the access channels, ensuring adequate depth for new generation vessels, while maintaining full port operability and full respect for the marine ecosystem.

The New Genoa Breakwater represents a structural transformation that will redefine the coastline, shielding the port from severe storms and providing safe maneuvering space for large international shipping routes and new generation vessels up to 400 metres in length. Together with the Terzo Valico dei Giovi-Genoa Junction One Project, also built by Webuild, the breakwater will further strengthen connections between the Mediterranean and the heart of Europe.