A major dredging contract in the Port of Livorno, Italy has been awarded to a JV consortium including Societa Italiana Dragaggi SpA (SIDRA), the Italian arm of the DEME Group, according to the company’s press 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 North and Diga South) 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.
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 is a world leader in the highly specialised fields of dredging and land reclamation, solutions for the offshore energy market, environmental and infra marine works. Equipped with ]more than 140 years of experience and 5,200 highly skilled professionals, DEME has knowledge and experience which has allowed them to foster a pioneering approach throughout their history. This enables them to bring tailor-made solutions, innovation and new technologies to their clients’ projects, ensuring that they are performed safely, efficiently and cost-effectively.
