Genoa, June 29, 2025 – The construction of the New Genoa Breakwater marks further progress: the tenth caisson of the breakwater, built by the PerGenova Breakwater Consortium led by Webuild on behalf of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, has been built and sunk. In recent days, the milestone of constructing over 34,000 gravel columns on the seabed of the coast of the city has also been reached, equalling 406,000 linear metres: i.e. well over half the total length planned for the project.

Work will soon begin to prefabricate the larger caissons, which are up to 67 metres long, up to 35 metres wide and up to 33.7 metres high. These will be built inside the "Tronds Barge 33" prefabrication dock in Vado Ligure. 

A significant milestone is the completion of the first half of the columns in the open sea, at depths of between 25 and 50 metres. Up to 13.5 metres high and with a diameter of 110 cm, the columns are fundamental structures for improving the stability of the caissons and the settlement of the ground on which the dam will rest. They are made from the layer created by over 2.2 million tonnes of gravel laid on the seabed, to date, most of which comes from Spain. 

The technique used to build these columns is the top feed method one, which employs 8 vibroflot devices, needle-shaped instruments measuring over 20 metres in length, powered by jets of pressurized water to break and penetrate the natural soil. The vibroflots are lowered from above and gradually inserted into the seabed, creating walls into which gravel falls through vibrations and in then compacted. Operations are currently being carried out using three pontoons, one of which is over 150 metres long, equipped with cranes measuring up to 40 metres in height. 

The technically challenging project currently involves a total of over 450 people, including direct and third-party personnel.

The New Breakwater is a crucial infrastructure for the Port of Genoa: it will allow access to ships up to 400 metres in length, strengthening the role of the Ligurian port within the Rhine-Alps Corridor of the TEN-T network, in synergy with the Terzo Valico dei Giovi One Project - Genoa Junction, which is also being built by Webuild. The project enhances the competitiveness of the port while paying close attention to environmental sustainability.