The project is claimed to both ‘unique’ and also the biggest port development in Italy’s history. Credit: Eustace Bagge via commons.wikimedia.org.

A Webuild-led consortium has begun preparations for the construction of a 6.2km-long breakwater project off the Port of Genoa in Italy that will enable the port to accommodate huge ships.

Last week at a ceremony, the first stone was laid at the project, the project itself claimed to be the biggest development of an Italian port in the country’s history.

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This project was commissioned by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority and is led by Webuild in the Pergenova Breakwater consortium, with partners, including Fincantieri Infrastructure Opere Maritime, Fincosit and Sidra.

Phase I construction in May includes the pouring of up to 2,000 tonnes (t) of gravel a day along a part of the seabed where the breakwater itself is to be constructed.

Every 36 hours, a large-scale vessel with a 3,600t capacity will shuttle between the ports of Piombino and Genoa, and a smaller ship with a capacity of 400t will undertake two trips each day.

The gravel-pouring process will be carried out in two trial areas – Campo Prova 1 in May and Campo Prova 2 in June.

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The pouring will then advance without interruption until September 2024 along with the deployment of vessels weighing 40,000t.

In the final two weeks of this month, work will also commence on the installation of 70,000 piles along the seabed.

This work will involve four 600m² pontoons, each of which will be equipped with two cranes.

The installation of the piles is expected to be completed in 17 months.  

Its foundation will be developed on a seabed up to 50m deep and will need up to seven million tonnes of stones and rock to complete.

On this foundation will lie 100 prefabricated caissons of reinforced concrete, with each being 35m wide, 67m long and up to 33m tall.

It is estimated that about 1,000 people will work on the project, both directly and indirectly.