The first concrete caisson of the nearly one hundred that will form the foundations of the new breakwater dam in Genoa has finally sunk. The event took place on Saturday, May 25, 2024, one day later than scheduled. On Friday, the caisson had been towed to the designated spot by a tugboat but remained afloat due to rough seas, disappointing the public watching the event from the headquarters of the Genoa Port Authority, including the Minister of Transport.
This is one of the smallest caissons that the consortium led by Webuild will lay on the seabed. It stands 21.7 meters tall, 40 meters long, and 25 meters wide, and is placed at a depth of 25 meters on a layer of gravel separating it from the muddy seabed. The caissons are constructed in the port of Vado Ligure and each requires about twenty days of work.
Meanwhile, Deputy Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi stated on May 27 that it would take months to appoint a new president for the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority. Currently, the Authority is headed by Commissioner Paolo Piacenza, appointed after the resignation of Paolo Emilio Signorini. Rixi added that the situation of the port is "very delicate."
