DEME and its joint venture partners secure a major dredging and coastal defence contract in the Italian Port of Livorno
A substantial contract for dredging and coastal defence works in the Port of Livorno has been awarded to a joint venture including SIDRA, the Italian company of the DEME Group, according to the company's release. Believed to be the biggest dredging project in the country, this award relates to the first phase of the Piattaforma Europa (Europa Platform) project with the construction of Darsena Europa (Europa Dock), a large port expansion and considered the new Tuscan gateway.
The project will eventually encompass 3 km of docks, two large terminals and 2 million m² of new port areas. DEME’s scope represents approximately 16 million m³ of dredging volumes and additionally, the joint venture is responsible for the construction of two new breakwaters (Diga Nord and Diga Sud) and the relocation of the Meloria breakwater (in total 6 km of breakwater construction).
The dredging operations, starting in 2023, are designed to provide the foundations for the new breakwaters, and to deepen the access channel to -17 m and the internal basins and docks to -16 m. A sizeable part of the dredged materials will be used for beach nourishment works along the Pisan coast, highlighting DEME’s focus on the circular economy. The remaining materials will be deposited inside the newly created basin, creating a foundation for a future platform.
DEME will deploy several cutter suction dredgers and a trailing suction hopper dredger at the project.
DEME has extensive knowledge of the port already, having executed several projects in the past, including the dredging of the northern side of the Molo Italia area, the southern entrance to the port and the maintenance and dredging works for the Toscana dock and turning basin.
About DEME Group
DEME is a world leader in the highly specialised fields of dredging, solutions for the offshore energy market, environmental and infra marine works. The company can build on more than 140 years of know-how and experience is a front runner in innovation and new technologies.
DEME’s vision is to work towards a sustainable future by offering solutions for global challenges: a rising sea level, a growing population, reduction of CO2 emissions, polluted rivers, seas and soils and the scarcity of natural resources.
While the company’s roots are in Belgium, DEME has built a strong presence in all of the world’s seas and continents.
