Livorno, close to publication the call for tenders for the construction of maritime works of defense and dredging of the Darsena Europa

The contract includes the works to protect the new port mouth of the port of Labronico (north mouth), the new port basin of the Darsena Europa with its canal of access, the construction of new containment tanks and the dredging activities related to their functionality. Work is planned for 393 million euros (the economic framework is of 450 million euros).

In more detail, the construction of a dam is planned external furnace of 4.6 kilometers composed of the new pier of superflutto (North Dam) and the construction of the new Dam of the Meloria in subflutto (while the old one will come demolished). Internal dams will also be built for 2.3 kilometers to delimit the new filled tanks (90 hectares) that will be added to those already existing (from 70 hectares) and already the subject of a consolidation project.

The dredging interventions are aimed at basting of the new works, to the deepening of the depths of the canal of access to and construction of basins and internal docks. A total of 15.7 million cubic meters will be dredged. One sediment share, totaling five million cubic metres, will be used to combat the raising of the level of the sea and the loss of coastal surfaces as a result coastal erosion. The sediments will also be used as filling and construction material to replace the virgin quarry material, therefore with protection purposes scenic.

From next October 6 the documents concerning the call will be available on the website of the port authority. Stakeholders will have until December 7 to present their candidacy. The award is scheduled for the end of January, after that, it will take 90 days for the executive design while, at the same time, the activities for the war reclamation that will take 270 days. Then the works will start in the course of 2022. There are 1,700 days for the execution of interventions and dredging. The timing of realization of the work are in any case linked to the performance of the Environmental Impact Assessment that Guerrieri aims to start as soon as possible.

The president of the port authority also explained that at the same time as the start of public works, and subsequently after the first phase interventions have been awarded, the AdSP will proceed, with a separate contract, to award a concession the construction of a container terminal potentially able to accommodate traffic for a total of 1.6 millions of teu. The size of the terminal provides for 60 hectares of piazzale, a quay of 400 linear meters with depths of -16 meters (with the possibility of deepening up to -20 meters), a access channel with depths at -17 meters (with the possibility of deepening at - 21 meters).

"Thanks to this work - underlined Guerrieri - the Port of Livorno will be able to generate a development durable, guaranteeing employment to the whole territory. The President of the AdSP highlighted that it is expected that the only contract for the construction of maritime defence works and dredging will produce an estimated direct employment at first year of activity of 450-500 people and a job indirect of about 1,500-1,700 people, with significant growth in the following years.

Guerrieri stressed the need to proceed with the construction of the Darsena Europa: "without this intervention - explained - the port would no longer have the possibility to maintain and develop its high-speed containerized trades level, in view of the known maritime accessibility problems of to which we suffer." He also pointed out that the intervention will create premises to answer the question already in act of development of ro-ro traffic of which the port of Livorno plays the role of leader in the Mediterranean.