Italy will deploy more than 70 concrete megacaissons, up to 33 meters high, in the Mediterranean to erect a 6 km offshore wall on foundations 50 meters deep to receive giant 400-meter ships.

Written by Alisson Ficher

Published on 09/05/2026 at 16:57

Updated on 09/05/2026 at 16:58

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Maritime structure built in the Mediterranean uses concrete megacaissons comparable to ten-story buildings to expand the operational capacity of the Port of Genoa, in one of the deepest and most complex offshore works in European port engineering.

Italy is advancing in the construction of a new offshore breakwater in front of the Port of Genoa, in the Mediterranean, with concrete cellular caissons installed on the seabed to redesign maritime access to one of the country’s main port complexes.

Executed by the PerGenova Breakwater consortium, led by Webuild for the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, the work is presented by the company as the deepest of its kind in Europe, with foundations in areas reaching 50 meters below sea level.

The project foresees a barrier over 6 kilometers long, built from giant reinforced concrete modules.

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Giant Megacaissons Form Genoa’s New Breakwater

Cellular caissons get their name because they have internal cavities, later filled with rocky material to increase weight, stability, and resistance.

In practice, each piece functions as a structural block of the future offshore barrier.

According to information released by Webuild, the first phase of the structure brings together dozens of modules installed in sequence.

Project updates indicate more than 70 caissons in the initial sections, while technical materials related to the work mention a total of approximately 93 units in the planned set.

Installation requires precision because the modules need to align on a submerged foundation built with millions of tons of rocky material.

This preparation is essential to ensure stability in an area subject to waves, currents, and meteorological variations.

In an update on April 28, 2026, Webuild reported the installation of the 20th caisson, extending the constructed structure to over 880 meters.

Italy builds offshore wall with concrete megacaissons to expand the port of Genoa in the Mediterranean.

At that stage, the barrier already comprised three large units and 17 standard modules.

Port of Genoa Expands Access for Giant Ships

The new breakwater was designed to reorganize maritime access to the port, creating an eastern entrance with more space for maneuvers.

The first phase foresees an opening greater than 300 meters, aimed at large vessels.

In the next stage, the Sampierdarena canal will be expanded to improve the operation of Genoa’s historic commercial terminals.

The change seeks to reduce navigation limitations and adapt the port to the growth of ships used in global transport.

With the project, Genoa tries to strengthen its position as a logistics hub in the Mediterranean.

The city’s location is considered strategic by Webuild itself, which highlights its connection to commercial flows between Asian, European, and American ports.

Offshore engineering mobilizes dozens of vessels

The construction of the new barrier relies on permanent maritime logistics.

More than 60 vessels operate on the work fronts, with functions including caisson transport, technical support, meteorological control, underwater operations, and safety coordination.

Underwater activities have already exceeded 500 days, according to the company.

This work involves everything from cleaning and preparing the seabed to the structural monitoring required to install large concrete pieces in an open environment.

Italy builds offshore wall with mega concrete caissons to expand the port of Genoa in the Mediterranean.

The manufacturing of the caissons also requires its own industrial chain.

Part of the production takes place in Vado Ligure, while a floating concrete structure operates at sea to handle specific stages of the project, reducing reliance on land transport.

Each module requires planning, specialized teams, and concrete quality control, as the material will be exposed for decades to salinity, pressure, waves, and chemical agents present in the marine environment.

Mediterranean project adopts environmental protocols

Webuild states that the project follows marine ecosystem protection protocols, with acoustic and visual mitigation measures during the transport and installation of the caissons.

The company also reported sightings of cetaceans and local fauna along the transit routes.

These procedures are part of the effort to reconcile the project with Genoa’s coastal area.

Nevertheless, the scale of the intervention keeps the project under scrutiny as it involves significant physical alteration in a strategic maritime zone.

The new breakwater combines rare factors in a single port project: high depth, use of building-height concrete blocks, continuous operation in open sea, and direct impact on the navigation capacity of large vessels in the Mediterranean.

Italy will deploy more than 70 concrete megacaissons, up to 33 meters high, in the Mediterranean to erect a 6 km offshore wall on foundations 50 meters deep to receive giant 400-meter ships.

Maritime structure built in the Mediterranean uses concrete megacaissons comparable to ten-story buildings to expand the operational capacity of the Port of Genoa, in one of the deepest and most complex offshore works in European port engineering.

Giant Megacaissons Form Genoa’s New Breakwater

Port of Genoa Expands Access for Giant Ships

Offshore engineering mobilizes dozens of vessels

Mediterranean project adopts environmental protocols

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Italy will deploy more than 70 concrete megacaissons, up to 33 meters high, in the Mediterranean to erect a 6 km offshore wall on foundations 50 meters deep to receive giant 400-meter ships.

Maritime structure built in the Mediterranean uses concrete megacaissons comparable to ten-story buildings to expand the operational capacity of the Port of Genoa, in one of the deepest and most complex offshore works in European port engineering.

Giant Megacaissons Form Genoa’s New Breakwater

Port of Genoa Expands Access for Giant Ships

Offshore engineering mobilizes dozens of vessels

Mediterranean project adopts environmental protocols

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