At the end of August, work will begin on the construction of the largest caissons: 67 meters long, 35 meters wide and 33 meters high

A Tronds Barge 33 will enter into operation, a semi-submersible barge capable of submerging up to 20 meters below the water’s surface

GENOA, August 11, 2025 – Webuild has marked another milestone at the construction site of the New Genoa Breakwater with the positioning of the twelfth caisson on the seabed off the coast of Liguria, Italy. Commissioned by Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, the breakwater is being built by the PerGenova Breakwater consortium led by Webuild. 

At the end of August, work will begin on the construction of the largest caissons, with lengths of up to 67 meters, widths of 35 meters, and heights of 33 meters. Their construction will involve the use of a Tronds Barge 33, a semi-submersible barge 110 meters long and 45 meters wide. Its ability to submerge itself by up to 20 meters below the water’s surface makes it easier to manage the placement of the caissons.

More than 450 people are involved in the project, both directly and indirectly. With the start of construction of larger caissons, even more jobs are expected to be created as the number of work shifts also increases. 

Once completed, it will be 6.2 kilometres long and reach a depth of up to 50 metres – the deepest for a breakwater in Europe – making the port more accessible to the latest generation of ships whose lengths reach up to 400 metres. The structure will also increase the importance of the port’s role in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

Built entirely offshore, the breakwater is slowly taking shape with the pouring of more than 2,200 tonnes of gravel onto the seabed and the construction of 41,000 columns underwater. The length of these columns side by side has reached 478,000 metres, more than half of the total length planned for the breakwater.

The New Genoa Breakwater is a strategic project to improve logistics in the country by combining innovation, environmental sustainability, and a shared vision. Together with the Terzo Valico dei Giovi-Genoa Junction One Project, which is also being built by Webuild, it will help create a modern and integrated infrastructure system capable of meeting the challenges of mobility and global trade.