Genoa New Breakwater, Italy

Genoa New Breakwater is unique in the world, with two firsts: it is the largest Italian harbour improvement project and the deepest breakwater in Europe. In addition, its complexity and size make it a turning point not only for the city of Genoa, but for the entire national system. The realisation of the project will allow Genoa to become a nerve centre for large vessels, a logistical hub of primary importance for European trade. With the construction of the dam, the Port of Genoa will be able to receive large container ships, up to 400 metres long and 60 metres wide, as well as "world class" cruise ships.

The ability to accommodate large vessels will allow the Ligurian port to compete with the major European ports, taking full advantage of its advantageous geographical position. Situated at the centre of the routes between Asia and America, Genoa is about 1,000 nautical miles closer to the major Asian ports than to the northern European ports. But not only that, if we focus on the technical innovation of Genoa's new breakwater, we can say that it is an unprecedented engineering feat, with a basement that will rest on water depths of up to 50 metres and a total length of 6,000 metres.

Reducing environmental impact is no longer an afterthought, however, and the new breakwater in Genoa has been designed to minimise its impact thanks to a number of innovative solutions. One of the main strategies is to reuse almost all the materials from the demolition of the old breakwater in a circular economy, thus reducing transport, disposal, fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.  Some of the waste from the marble quarries will also be reused, while a special concrete mix has been developed for the cellular cascades to increase their impermeability. These will be transported by sea and filled with recycled materials, and an advanced sensor system will monitor the infrastructure during and after construction.

But Webuild's commitment to the climate goes even further: since March 2024, the Group has been working with the Genoa Aquarium to protect the marine ecosystem, temporarily relocating marine organisms to the Aquarium's facilities and returning them once the work is complete, promoting an eco-responsible approach.