Twelfth caisson placed for new Genoa breakwater project

The construction of the new Genoa breakwater in Italy has reached a new milestone with the positioning of the twelfth caisson on the seabed. The project is being built by the PerGenova Breakwater consortium, which is led by Webuild and commissioned by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority.

The project involves building an entirely new breakwater offshore. Once completed, it will be 6.2 kilometres long and will reach a seabed depth of up to 50 metres, making it the deepest of its kind in Europe, according to Webuild.

The new structure will make the port more accessible to container ships up to 400 metres long. The proponents said it will also increase the port's role in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor of the Trans-European transport network.

With the placement of the twelfth caisson, work is now set to begin on the construction of the largest caissons for the project, which will be up to 67 metres long, 35 metres wide, and 33 metres high. Their construction will involve the use of the Tronds Barge 33, a 110-metre semi-submersible barge.