Genoa breakwater megaproject hit by storm damage

Computer rendering of the new Genoa breakwater. Image: Webuild

Italian contractor Webuild said that an intense storm in the Ligurian Sea had damaged a 67 meter-long, 33 meter high concrete caisson at the breakwater it is building at the Port of Genoa.

The PerGenova Breakwater Consortium, which also includes Fincantieri, Fincosit and Sidra said that waves reaching 7 metres in height had damaged the fifth caisson which was currently undergoing filling operations.

The consortium said that the damage would have no impact on the stability of the caisson and would not impact any other construction activities planned for the breakwater. It added that no other caissons had been damaged during the storm and continued to be stable and located in their project design position.

Acting on behalf of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, the consortium said that it had already started undertaking repair work to the damaged caisson.

Construction work on the €928 million (US$1 billion) project which aims to protect the basins and port structures from climate change, started in May 2023.

The base of the new breakwater will reach depths of up to 50m, making it the deepest in Europe.

It will eventually comprise a total of 100 prefabricated, reinforced concrete caissons as well as seven million tonnes of rock.

A spokesman said: “The Consortium’s constant monitoring activity allows to promptly intervene, meeting and exceeding complexities linked to building such a challenging work from an engineering perspective and due to the weather and sea conditions in which the work is being built.”

The new breakwater will allow larger ships to access the port. The previous basin at the port was built in the 1930s. The upgraded port will have a turning basin of 800m, giving more room for modern shipping.

The first phase of project is scheduled for completion in 2026.