• A new large caisson eleven-story high has been set
• Seabed consolidation and dredging activities proceed, ensuring structure’s stability and safety, and guaranteeing uninterrupted port activities: 4.2 million tons of material already placed, and nearly 110,000 cubic metres of sediment dredged

GENOA, February 22, 2026 –The construction site of the New Genoa Breakwater has taken another step forward: the 16th caisson has been laid on the seabed, a concrete structure comparable in size to an eleven-story building. After months of adverse weather and sea conditions, during a particularly unfavorable winter season, the laying of the caisson, which involved one of the largest of its kind on the project, was carried out by PerGenova Breakwater a consortium, led by Webuild, on behalf of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority.

Work has also begun in parallel on the construction of the breakwater’s superstructure, which will become a long, continuous and uniform wall designed to dissipate the force of the waves and protect the port area. It will also redefine the visual aspect of the entry to the port.

This section will be built entirely offshore, where a complex floating worksite will operate, consisting of a barge equipped with two concrete batching plants and a concrete pumping system, along with marine vessels and lifting equipment. 

Below the water’s surface, meanwhile, the invisible yet crucial work proceeds in consolidating the foundation: 4.2 million tons of material, including gravel and tout-venant, have already been laid with extreme precision to create a stable bed necessary for the placement of the caissons. This phase of the work is made possible thanks to the use of equipped pontoons and a fleet that includes more than 10 vessels with capacities ranging from 500 to 38,000 tons. On the seabed, more than 51,000 gravel columns and 3,870 drains have also been installed for consolidation purposes. 

Also offshore is the dredging work. Three vessels have removed nearly 110,000 cubic metres of sediment from the bottom of the access channels to the outer harbour, ensuring that the port can operate with the depths required for the largest of ships. This technical effort is accompanied by an eco-responsible approach that has guided every phase of the works, including the launch of a collaboration with the Genoa Aquarium for the temporary transfer and future relocation of marine organisms recovered from the seabed. 

The New Genoa Breakwater represents a major change for the city. It will redefine the area of the port of Genoa, protecting it from severe storms, and creating new manoeuvring spaces for the safe docking of a new generation of ships up to 400 metres long. The project is also part of a network of strategic infrastructure works also under development by Webuild, including the Terzo Valico dei Giovi–Genoa Junction One Project, designed to strengthen connections between the Mediterranean and the heart of Europe.