The Project of the New Breakwater of Genoa

The Project of the New Breakwater of Genoa

The New Breakwater of Genoa
The project

The New Breakwater of Genoa is an ambitious large-scale project. It has been designed to provide improved access by sea to the port that guarantees the transit and manoeuvres of the latest generation of ships in total safety, added protection to the port facilities from sea-storms and the impact of climate change, and the separation of vessels in different lanes according to destination: cargo terminals, passenger port, shipyards and marinas.

The new infrastructure is to be built approximately 450 metres from the existing breakwater and will provide for the expansion of the Sampierdarena navigation channel, the creation of a new entrance with a turning basin of 800 m and the construction of a new access channel from the east with a width of 300 m. The technical and economic feasibility study calls for the construction of the infrastructure in two staggered phases, A and B.

Phase A foresees the creation of a new harbour entrance navigation channel from the east, alongside the existing one, with an optimal separation of the different classes of incoming/outgoing vessels, and the expansion of the turning basin of Sampierdarena, thereby increasing overall safety in ship manoeuvres. Phase B envisages the completion of the facility by expanding the navigation channel along the entire Sampierdarena basin, thus providing access to the latest generation of ships to all the port terminals.

The New Breakwater of Genoa ranks as a major public infrastructure work which plays a strategic role at the heart of international trade. The project value amounts to a total of € 1.3 billion, with approximately 950 million euros earmarked for the construction of Phase A, awarded to the PerGenova Breakwater Consortium.

Phase B
The new layout

In response to the conclusions of further in-depth studies conducted during the final and executive design of Phase A, the original layout was the subject of further analysis that led to the introduction of a few changes aimed at optimising ship manoeuvres by expanding the navigation channel and turning basin by the western harbour entrance. In addition, the variation to the layout will allow for the implementation in parallel of the two executive stages, by merging Phases A and B, which had originally been planned as a continuous process. This will result in a reduction in the overall construction times and costs.

The project of the variation to the layout was submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), which confirmed that the variation was not subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure, as the new layout does not generate negative and significant environmental impacts that require it (Opinion no. 176 of 20 December 2024).

On 28 January 2025, the Local Planning Board gave the go-ahead to the revised layout (in compliance with article 5 of Law 84/1994 and subsequent amendments). The next step is the publication of the tender for the assignment of the execution of the works subsequent to the variation to the project plan called “P.3062 Construction of the New Breakwater - Sampierdarena Basin - Port of Genoa”.

 

Documentation of the executive project “Phase B”

The New Breakwater of Genoa
The main stages of the work

2004
The “Fresco” by architect Renzo Piano illustrates the potential expansion and redevelopment of the Port of Genoa with the replacement of the “comb-shaped” docks in favour of a modern seamless quayline port protected by a new redesigned breakwater.
31 July 2013
The proposal to build a new breakwater takes shape during the Port Authority of Genoa Management Committee meeting.
April 2018
Agreement between the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority and Invitalia as Central Procurement Agency for the assignment of the Technical and Economic Feasibility Study of the new breakwater of the Port of Genoa signed. On 16 November 2018, publication of the call for tenders.
April 2019
The technical and economic feasibility study awarded to the consortium led by Technital S.p.A...
15 January 2019
ByDecree no.2 of the Government Commissioner for Reconstruction,Marco Bucci, the construction of the new breakwater is included amongst the interventions of the Emergency Programme (“Genoa Decree” Law 130/2018for the recovery of the port, accessibility and redevelopment of the waterfront following the collapse of the Morandi Bridge motorway viaduct on 14 August 2018).
From 8 January to 28 February 2021
Public Consultation. The New Breakwater is the first public infrastructure work of national interest to be subject to a public consultation since the approval of thePrime Minister’s Decree no.76 of 10 May 2018..
16 April 2021
ByPrime Minister’s Decree, the President of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority Paolo Emilio Signorini is appointed Government Commissioner for the Construction of the New Breakwater of Genoa. In June 2021, publication of the Commissario.digaforanea.genova.it website (as per Law no.136 of 9 October 2023 – Upon termination of the mandate of the Government Commissionerthe contents are available on the website www.portsofgenoa.com).
28 March 2022
ByInter-ministerial decree of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Ministry of Culture, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) opinion was defined.
8 April 2022
Signing ceremony of the Legality Protocol, which outlines a range of measures aimed at ensuring that the works are carried out in a solid safe environment, intercepting the risks of criminal interference and at the same time ensuring the regularity and safety of the construction sites.
27 maggio 2022
TheSpecial Committee of the Superior Councilof Public Works of the Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility (MIMS) approves the project of the New Breakwater of Genoa.
12 October 2022
The contract is awardedto the PerGenova Breakwater consortium, led by Webuild with Fincantieri, Fincosit and Sidra.
4 May 2023
Start of works with the ceremony commemorating the“Laying of the First Stone” .
24 May 2024
Installation at sea of the first caisson of the over 90 reinforced concrete cellular boxes that will compose the initial 4 km of the breakwater.
28 January 2025
Local Planning Board gives the go-ahead to the variation to the layout.

 

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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions

The New Breakwater is an asset essential in establishing firmly the position of the Port of Genoa, Italy’s premier port, as major logistics platform along the strategic axis of the TEN-T Trans-European Transport Network, stretching from the North Sea to the Mediterranean across the prosperous consumer and manufacturing areas of Germany, Switzerland and Northern Italy.
Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade as over 80% of cargo is transported by sea, consequently the new open-sea breakwater, designed to cater for the recent and future ultra-large transoceanic vessels which cross the Mediterranean Sea from East to West, is strategic to strengthening the role of the Port of Genoa to handle high volumes of international trade. A favourable geographic location, alongside the upgrade of maritime and land infrastructure, namely, the Terzo Valico Hi-speed/Hi capacity Railway Line-Genoa Junction, are set to boost further the competitive edge of the Port of Genoa, thereby generating economic growth and employment across the local community and the nation overall.
The New Breakwater of Genoa ranks as the greatest single infrastructure project to have ever been built in Italy to boost the capacity and potential of the Italian port industry.
To learn more, visit the page dedicated to the project plan.

The New Breakwater will deliver three major benefits. Added protection to the basin and facilities of the Port of Genoa from sea storms and the impact of climate change. Safer navigation due to the separation of vessels in different lanes, and wider navigation channels and turning basins to cater for the next generation of 25,000-teu ships, up to 400 metres in length. Finally, the New Breakwater will enhance the competitive edge of the Port of Genoa, with positive impacts in terms of growth in traffic volumes, economic growth and employment across the maritime and supply chain industry, a sector which prevails in Liguria as the greatest contributor of value-added to the local economy.L’Analisi Costi Beneficicommissioned by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, estimates that the New Breakwater will boost cargo volumes by approximately 25%, contributing a further 4.2 billion euros in terms of major revenue deriving from the growth in container throughput, and port taxes and fees; in addition to creating over 3000 jobs, with a range of direct, indirect and induced effects.

In response to the conclusions of further in-depth analysis conducted during the executive design phase to evaluate wave climate, across advanced ship manoeuvre simulation systems and mathematical models, a variation to the layout was approved which optimises the use of the new harbour entrances. The revised layout has been designed to ensure the safe navigation across the Sampierdarena basin on the part of the ultra-large vessels and, simultaneously, to allow for the implementation in parallel of the two executive phases, which had originally been planned as a continuous process, resulting in a sharp reduction in construction costs and programme time and in improved operational efficiency. To learn more, visit the page dedicated to the project plan.

This large-scale project, a sophisticated feat of engineering, to date, groups together a team of over 400 workers, including 150 professionals operating offshore. It is important to highlight that the New Breakwater of Genoa forms part of a wide-ranging capital infrastructure plan which embraces over 40 major infrastructure projects. A study conducted by Prometeia estimates that the direct, indirect and induced impact on employment in Liguria totals approximately 37,000 people across the 4 years projected for the completion of all the works underway.

Works are ongoing. For an update on the status of the construction works, please visit the Latest News section of the page dedicated to the project plan of the New Breakwater of Genoa.

The optimal management, salvage and recycling of raw materials represents a key driver in the sustainable development of the range of 40 infrastructure works underway across the Ports Genoa and Savona-Vado Ligure. It is important to note that part of the construction works in progress involve the removal of materials (deriving from excavations, dredging operations and demolitions), whilst other construction works require a large supply of soils, rocks, gravel and other raw materials. Based upon a demand for a total of 9 million cubic metres of aggregates, across the application of the basic principles of the circular economy, the construction companies will have the opportunity to reuse over 5 million cubic metres, specifically, to fill the cellular caissons under construction. This approach generates a sharp cut in the costs deriving from the disposal and supply of raw materials; minimal port and urban disruptions across an optimisation of the logistics management of the raw materials; and a reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption; in view of a reduced use of road transport.

In accordance with the basic principles of circular economy (please refer to previous Q) and the guidelines of the Salvage Plan in elaboration, the box caissons will be filled with materials extracted from other construction sites. The recent approval of the Environment Decree (decree-law 17 October 2024 n.153 – law 17 October 2024), which also provides for the reuse of material excavated at the ports of the Eastern Ligurian Sea, represents a further milestone, and harmonises the regulatory procedures across multiple construction sites underway. The regulations are in compliance with EU directives on the protection of the environment and on the recycling of inert waste. However, to date, the caissons, which are already in place, are being provisionally filled with constructed aggregates mined from quarries, thereby reducing significantly potential risks to the stability of the caissons.

A prime example of the action taken to preserve the local ecosystem is the collaboration forged between the construction company and the Aquarium of Genoa to safeguard select specimens of the gorgonian corals and other marine species. The aquarium provides temporary shelter in acclimatised tanks, and upon completion of the construction works, the marine animals will return to their natural habitat.
To learn more, read the article

During the planning stages and execution of the New Breakwater of Genoa, a strong focus was placed upon safeguarding the environment, in compliance with the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment approved by the Italian Ministry for the Environment. The local marine ecosystem groups together a range of protected species, including the marine mammals and reptiles of the Pelagos Sanctuary. The potential impact of the construction works has been closely assessed, monitored and mitigated, with a focus on the impact of underwater noise pollution. The Department of Earth, Life and Environmental Sciences of the University of Genoa monitored the site in question prior to and during the implementation of the works, with a strong focus on water quality control; whilst an assessment of the impact landside – noise pollution, vibrations, air quality control -was conducted by ARPA Liguria and reduced to a minimum.
The construction works are being carried out in accordance with the basic principles of circular economy (please refer to previous Qs).
In addition, in response to the challenges posed by climate change, greenhouse gas emissions will be monitored throughout the duration of the construction works, with the objective of offsetting total emissions with the acquisition of carbon credits to achieve carbon neutral status.

Genoa’s new breakwater is unique from an engineering point of view: it will be built in open-sea at depths of up to 50 metres and it will be over 6000 metres in length. Over 7 million tons of gravel will be positioned on the sea-rock, with the subsequent installation of 103 cellular reinforced-concrete box caissons, up to 33 metres high (the height of a 10-storey building), 35 metres wide and 67 metres long.

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