Halcrow to look at Venice

A feasibility study for a new € 1,3 billion offshore deep water terminal outside Venice Lagoon in Italy will be undertaken by Halcrow.

UK-based Halcrow has been appointed by Venice Port Authority, and the plan is for a new platform to be positioned about 14 km from the mainland where the sea bed has a natural depth of 20 m.

The Port of Venice is part of the new Northern Adriatic multiport system, created to play a greater role in handling more Europe to Asia and Europe to Mediterranean cargo flows over the next ten years.

The development of a new offshore terminal will provide a consolidated port base in the Mediterranean and is expected to attract shipping coming from the Suez Canal. The location of the Port of Venice, and that of other North Adriatic ports, is considered convenient for goods imported or exported both from markets in the Far East and those in the southern Mediterranean.

Halcrow's project director, Payam Fouroud, said, "The new port will provide for areas where containers are transferred to or from inland terminals where they are processed and distributed by rail and road links to the main local routes, as well as to and from markets in Central and Eastern Europe. The facility will be able to cater for a capacity of between 1,5 million and 3 million teu, and handle ships of between 6000 and 14000 teu."

The port will be equipped to receive oil tankers as well as provide space for future expansion into other categories of goods, such as solid bulk cargo coming in on capesize vessels.

On top of this, support services including a desalinisation plant, emergency heliport, medical centre, buildings for staff, canteens and offices will have to be built, all of which will be supplied by undersea electrical cables supplemented with electricity derived from renewable sources.

A 3,5 km outer breakwater will protect the terminal in all weather. The port will also act as a "refuge berth" when the MOSE barriers (Venices' anti-flood system) are closed.