Croatia’s largest shipyard, Brodosplit, which is located in Split, are currently producing steel gates for the Malamocco inlet, which will protect Venice from floods.
The company have reported that the first two gates are finished and are ready for delivery. Brodosplit are currently in the process of producing a further 19 gates which will be used to help prevent Venice from floods.
78 gates in total will be used in the system. The gates are designed as special reservoirs filled with air or water. They will lie on the sea bed when filled with water, and rise towards the surface to close the Lagoon entrances when filled with air. After air is released, they will get filled with water again and lie on the sea bottom. During these several hours, the Venetian Lagoon would be closed.
The dimensions of the gates which Brodosplit are producing are 27-30 x 20 metres wide, 4.5-5 metres high and with weight of 300 tons.