A new and strategic infrastructure is about to be born in Italy and will have very positive repercussions on the economy of the entire country. It is one He saysWhich will be built off the coast of the city Genoa. the Genoa breakwater It is a work unique in the world for its complexity as well as being the largest intervention ever undertaken to reinforce Italian ports.
Once completed, it will officially enter the world records. Deepest dams in the worldThis work, which will cost 1.3 billion euros, will allow Genoa to become an important port centre for trade in Europe. Thanks to the dam, large container ships, over 400 metres long and 60 metres wide, will be able to enter the port, as well as “world-class” cruise ships.
Once the works are completed, the Ligurian capital will be able to compete with the most important European ports and will have its geographical location to its advantage, at the center of the routes between Asia and the Americas. Genoa is in fact much closer to the major Asian ports than those of northern Europe. This could be a major competitive advantage. Let’s find out more about how it was built. Breakwater in Genoa.
Genoa Breakwater: a unique work from an engineering point of view
The Genoa breakwater is one of the most important engineering challenges that Italy is preparing to undertake. The works have been awarded to Webuild and involve an investment of 1.3 billion euros. There will be two phases of implementation: PrimaThe works are scheduled to be completed in 2026, and include the construction of a new 300-metre-wide entrance from the east with ample room for ships to maneuver. The second phase, which will see the completion of works in 2030, includes the expansion of the canal. SamperdarinaWhich will reach a width of 400 meters, which will facilitate the operation of historical stations.
The foundation will rest on the seabed at a depth of 50 metres, and its total length in its final form will be approximately 6,000 metres. The new dam structure will be divided into modules containing approximately 90 cellular caissons, each 33 metres high, 35 metres wide and 67 metres long.
The reinforced concrete caissons are massive and will be placed on the seabed next to each other to give shape to the base of the dam. The caissons will be manufactured directly at sea and will be the most complex activity, requiring around 20 working days and 50 people working for each caisson. The seabed will be reinforced by the construction of 70,000 gravel columns, 7 to 12 metres long, which will ensure stability. The gravel columns will be created thanks to the use of 7 million tonnes of rock material, partly obtained from the dismantling of the existing dam with the aim of a circular economy.
At the end of this truly unique work in engineering terms, the port of Genoa will become a highly sought-after logistical, commercial and touristic hub. An added value that will benefit the entire nation and not just the city of Liguria.
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