New Genoa dam: Reeds and Merlo brake and remove updates
Genoa – “In my opinion we have to dedicate a few more days to the technical analysis of the base and the length of the new Genoa dam in order to be able to get off to a good start”. To pronounce these words, on the occasion of the Assagenti assembly just staged in Genoa, was Luigi Merlo, who spoke as president of Federlogistica even if we cannot overlook the fact that he is also director of institutional relations in Italy of the MSC Group, the first beneficiary (like Terminal Bettolo) of this new port infrastructure worth over 1 billion euros and for which the Genoa port authoroty has just started the procedure that should lead to the award of the works by the end of July.
On the sidelines of the assembly to SHIPPING ITALY Merlo added: “There are observations that come from various technicians, specialists and designers that I too have heard and that have raised some concerns regarding the complexity of this work which would be unique in length and complexity. . If this were the case, I believe that a pause for verification, if the procedures allow it (not so at what point is the state of implementation), in my opinion it would be useful to do some in-depth analysis. Because if you start the project and then get stuck, you should avoid having a new Mose. Being one of the main maritime works, perhaps the most important built in Italy, I believe that this type of reflection by those who are competent must be listened to ”. Up to now, the most precise technical criticisms of the project have come from the technical director of the work Piero Silva and from the consultant Guido Barbazza of IxMachina.
Merlo also added that the works of the great Ponente motorway are closely related to those of the dam because “the spoil of the excavations will have to be used for the foundations of the new dam and for the filling of the caissons. Without the material of the earth it would be necessary to find enormous quantities of materials “.
But it was not only Luigi Merlo who gave in-depth information and updates to the procedure that i sawThe Extraordinary Commissioner Paolo Emilio Signorini to definitively approve the technical-economic feasibility project of the new breakwater and transmit (which took place at the beginning of June) the invitation letters to offer offers for the complex integrated contract for the construction of phase 1 of the Opera (30 days for the submission of the proposals to be followed by the negotiation phase with the award by the month of July according to the Genoese Port System Authority).
“We have just sent a letter to the port authority, signed by the new president of Ance Federica Brancaccio, in which we ask that the 920 million contract be updated with the provisions of the ‘aid decree’ (which requires contracting stations to proceed immediately with increases up to 20%) but also with the application of the latest price list (for next July, ed) ”said Giulio Musso, president of Ance Genova, a reply on this secretary general of the port authority Paolo Piacenza. Who replied by informing that the contract “the 2022 price list has already been applied”, which however “reports – countered Musso – the updated values as at 31 December 2021 and does not take into account the increases recorded in the last few months “. On the horizon, the president of Ance Genova announced, there could be an appeal to the TAR “as has already happened recently in Lazio with the consequent withdrawal of the tender” (the reference is to the precautionary petition presented by Ance and by various manufacturers on the tender from 43 million for works at the port of Fiumicino).
But there are not only economic questions to be solved. In the letter addressed to Palazzo San Giorgio by the builders some processes are critical for which economies of scale are expected but the working conditions in the open sea are not duly considered, the effort in terms of productivity necessary to guarantee, as well, is not recognized economically. requested, a 1-year time reduction, just as the possibility of reusing the materials from the demolition of the current dam for the filling of the caissons that will make up the new dam is not considered.
Criticisms, perplexities and the threat of appeals to administrative justice that do not reconcile with the time schedule of the Port System Authority which would like to reach an award of the works by the end of July and a start of the construction sites next January.