The first 720 metres of the 1.8-km Genoa Pra' Dune waterfront promenade now reopens to the public.
The new linear landscaped Dune Urban Park, designed to function as a visual screen and noise barrier between the port's PSA Genova Pra' flagship container terminal and the adjacent residential urban fabric, takes shape. The public inner city waterfront recreational area, already open shoreside to residents for leisure and sports activities, has been expanded to create more urban green spaces for outdoor pursuits. The promenade, that runs parallel to the terminal and the coast, offers direct access to the new urban park currently under construction.
The promenade has been repaved and enlarged by approximately 1.20 metres to separate the cycle lane from the footpath and, concurrently, 20 tall palm trees infected by red palm weevils have been successfully replaced by the fan palms, sturdier and broader and more resistant to contagion. The first artificial dune constructed, covered with different combinations of plant species, is 6 metres high, whilst the dunes in the second section of the walk will reach a height of up to 15 metres and all run along the perimeter of the container terminal. The new linear landscaped park will feature a sequence of themed dedicated areas for sports and leisure activities, including a children's playground, and will offer the wide botanical diversity of the typical local Mediterranean vegetation.
With the completion of the Dune Urban Park, scheduled by the end of 2023 and funded by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority for a total of 15.5 million euros, the Ports of Genoa continues in its firm commitment to enhance the quality of the environment in the residential areas which sit alongside the Ports of Genoa, Savona and Vado Ligure: landscaped spaces designed to mitigate noise and pollution, on-shore power supply and the redevelopment of derelict areas along the waterfront will impact significantly upon the quality of life of residents, whilst consolidating the overall strategic role of the port for the local community.
