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Breakwaters installed by Van Oord in Constanța total 9 kilometers and are part of a coastal project in Romania, where 4 million m³ of sand were deposited to reduce erosion, protect resorts such as Olimp, Jupiter-Neptun, and Balta-Mangalia, and strengthen beaches against storms, currents, tides, and swells in the local Black Sea.
The Romanian coastline received a new layer of protection on January 16, 2025, with the advancement of the Constanța Beaches Project, Phase III. The project includes breakwaters along 9 kilometers, installed by Van Oord to protect tourist sections against erosion, swells, and floods.
According to information from dredgingtoday, after the installation of the structures, the suction dredger Vox Amalia deposited 4 million cubic meters of sand in the Black Sea. The intervention was commissioned by Administratia Bazinala de Apa Dobrogea-Litoral, aiming to protect the Constanța coastline and simultaneously strengthen tourism in the region.
Breakwaters form new coastal defense in the Black Sea
The breakwaters were installed to reduce the force of the waves before they reach the sand strip. According to Van Oord, these structures are expected to protect the coastline against tides, currents, waves, and swells.
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The project is part of a coastal reinforcement strategy in vulnerable areas of Romania. Instead of just replenishing sand on the beach, the project combines maritime structures and artificial nourishment of the coastal strip, creating a more robust barrier against erosion.
The works at the resorts of Olimp, Jupiter-Neptun, and Balta-Mangalia, corresponding to lots 7, 8, and 9, have been completed. These points are part of Phase III of the Constanța Beaches Project.
The intervention is significant because the tourist coastline of the Black Sea directly depends on the preservation of the beaches. When erosion progresses, it not only affects the landscape: it compromises hotels, visitor circulation, commercial activities, and the safety of areas close to the sea.
Four million m³ of sand reinforce the beaches
After the installation of the breakwaters, Van Oord used the suction dredger Vox Amalia to deposit 4 million cubic meters of sand on the coastal stretch. This volume helps to restore and expand the beach strip.
The sand acts as an absorption layer. When the waves reach the coast, part of the energy is dissipated before reaching urban structures, tourist areas, or more fragile sections of the coastline.
The sand deposit is not just an aesthetic action to make the beach larger. It is part of coastal protection engineering, as it increases the distance between the sea’s advance and occupied areas.
This type of intervention is usually used in regions where erosion reduces the beach strip over time. In the case of Romania, the project aims to create a more resilient coastline against storms and surges in the Black Sea.
Project aims to protect tourism and infrastructure in Constanța
The project was commissioned by Administratia Bazinala de Apa Dobrogea-Litoral, known by the acronym ABA-DL. The goal is to protect Constanța’s coastline from erosion and flooding, as well as to support tourism.
This combination explains the significance of the project. Tourist beaches depend on a stable coastal strip to receive visitors, keep services active, and preserve local investments.
With the breakwaters and sand replenishment, the idea is to reduce the impact of storm waves on the resorts. Olimp, Jupiter-Neptun, and Balta-Mangalia are among the sections benefited in this phase.
Coastal protection, in this case, is also economic protection. When a beach loses sand, the effect can impact accommodation, commerce, leisure, public infrastructure, and the region’s own tourist value.
Van Oord expands its role in coastal works in Romania
Van Oord reported that the project expands its coastal protection portfolio in Romania. The company also mentions ongoing works at the resorts of Costinesti, Mangalia-Saturn, and 2 Mai.
Additionally, the company had previously worked on a project to reinforce the coastline in Eforie. This shows that Phase III of Constanța Beaches is part of a broader agenda of interventions on the Romanian coast.
The 9-kilometer breakwaters reinforce this strategy, as they create permanent protection against part of the wave energy. Meanwhile, the deposited sand helps provide volume and stability to the beach.
The combination of rigid structure and sand is the central point of the project. The breakwaters hold back part of the sea’s force, while the sand enhances the natural defense of the coastal strip.
Coastal erosion demands increasingly greater responses
Coastal erosion is a problem affecting various tourist regions around the world. In the Black Sea, the advance of the sea, currents, and storms can reduce beaches and increase flood risks.
In the Romanian case, the response involves large-scale works. There are 9 kilometers of breakwaters and 4 million m³ of sand, numbers that show the scale of the attempt to protect Constanța and its resorts.
This type of project requires technical planning, dredging, sediment transport, installation of maritime structures, and subsequent monitoring. The beach is not a static environment; waves, tides, and currents continue to act after the work is done.
Therefore, coastal protection needs to be seen as a continuous process, not as an isolated solution. The intervention creates a stronger barrier, but the coastline will continue to require monitoring.
Romania turns sand and concrete into a barrier against storm surges
The project on the coast of Constanța shows how coastal countries are combining maritime engineering and beach replenishment to tackle erosion. In Romania, the breakwaters form the first line of defense, while the sand enhances the protection of the coastal strip.
The project also reinforces the economic importance of the beaches. Protecting Olimp, Jupiter-Neptun, and Balta-Mangalia means preserving areas related to tourism, leisure, and local infrastructure.
The intervention does not prevent the Black Sea from continuing to shape the coastline, but it attempts to reduce the damage caused by waves, currents, tides, and storm surges. It is an attempt to transform the coast into a barrier better prepared for extreme events.
In the end, Romania bets on 9 kilometers of breakwaters and 4 million m³ of sand to defend tourist beaches and curb coastal erosion.
Do you think projects of this scale are the best way to protect the coastline, or should natural solutions gain more space? Share your opinion.
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