The Port of Genoa Breakwater (Nuova Diga Foranea)

Objective

To protect Genoa's expanding shipping basins from rough open seas, creating wide, safe navigation channels that allow the world’s largest container ships to safely dock at the port.

Description

A maritime engineering project constructing a massive 6-kilometer offshore breakwater resting in deep waters up to 50 meters, using millions of tons of rocky materials and concrete caissons. Core Maritime Port deep-water expansion project; baseline PNRR and CEF funding framework. Prioritized within Italy's PNRR and CEF transport funding allocations as a critical marine expansion project at the base node of the Rhine-Alpine corridor. EU funding provided through the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

History

Driven by the need to handle modern ultra-large container ships, the project was fast-tracked in 2021 under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Pre-construction was compressed into a compressed technical design and public consultation phase, utilizing special emergency procurement decrees to bypass traditional administrative delays and clear the path for maritime construction by 2023.

Finance