July 31, 2026
Webuild: New Genoa Breakwater reaches 1,350 metres in length
Three new caissons installed in 10 days accelerate progress on future breakwater for Port of Genoa
Milan, July 31, 2026 – Construction of the New Genoa Breakwater has progressed to approximately 1,350 metres of total length. The project, being delivered by the PerGenova Breakwater Consortium, led by Webuild on behalf of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, is one of the most significant infrastructure projects underway among European ports.
The installation of three caissons in just 10 days highlights the pace of progress on a project being carried out in one of the most challenging marine environments in the Mediterranean. The new breakwater is taking shape on a seabed reaching depths of up to 50 metres, where every the installation of the caissons requires highly complex engineering operations and careful coordination in open sea conditions.
The most recently installed caisson measures 67 metres in length, over 33 metres in height, and weighs approximately 15,000 tonnes. Its installation required a sequence of operations, from marine transport to precise seabed positioning. It was carried out with the support of specialised vessels and technical teams engaged in monitoring, control and assistance activities at sea, on land and underwater.
The New Genoa Breakwater has been designed to provide safer access and greater manoeuvrability for next-generation vessels, including large container ships that account for an increasingly significant share of international maritime traffic. The infrastructure will also enhance the port's resilience to adverse weather conditions at sea, and create the conditions for further growth in the port's commercial and logistics activities.
Once completed, the New Breakwater will become a key element in the development of the Port of Genoa and form part of the broader infrastructure enhancement programme that is transforming the city. Alongside the New Breakwater, Webuild is involved in the construction of the Terzo Valico dei Giovi-Genoa Junction Project, the new high-capacity railway that will connect the port to Europe’s main logistics corridors. The Group will also excavate a road tunnel under the port itself. Together, these projects will bind closer together the port system, the railway network and urban mobility, further consolidating Genoa’s strategic role within the Rhine-Alpine Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).