Italy has confirmed plans to build the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting Sicily to the mainland in Calabria, with completion targeted for 2032.
Final approval for the long-discussed Strait of Messina Bridge project has been granted by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS), marking a decisive step forward after decades of debate. The project will be delivered by the Eurolink contracting consortium, led by Italian construction giant Webuild, working alongside Japan’s IHI – known for building the Akashi Bridge – and Spain’s Sacyr, which partnered with Webuild on the Panama Canal expansion. Danish engineering consultancy Cowi will lead the design team.
The ambitious structure will stretch 3,666 metres, with a central suspended span of 3,300 metres – setting a new world record. Its deck will measure around 60 metres in width, accommodating three vehicle lanes in each direction, two railway tracks, and two service lanes. Capable of handling up to 200 trains a day and 6,000 vehicles an hour, the bridge is expected to transform connectivity between the island and mainland Italy.
Steel towers rising to 399 metres will support a suspension system of four massive cables, each 1.26 metres in diameter and 5,320 metres in length. The combined cable weight is estimated at 170,000 tonnes. The deck will clear the water by 72 metres, allowing uninterrupted shipping traffic across a 600-metre width beneath the span.
The project is more than just the bridge itself. Plans include over 40 kilometres of new roads and railways, three underground train stations, 10 viaducts, and multiple tunnels. The bridge will link to the Palermo–Catania–Messina rail network and the planned Salerno–Reggio Calabria high-speed railway. Excavations of 12 million cubic metres of earth in Sicily and 4.5 million in Calabria will help form new infrastructure and restore parts of the Tyrrhenian coastline.
The €10.6 billion contract addendum between Eurolink and Stretto di Messina, the concessionary company, will come into effect once the CIPESS approval is published in Italy’s Official Gazette.
Webuild chief executive Pietro Salini hailed the decision as a transformative moment for the country. “The bridge will stimulate growth, create jobs and showcase Italian engineering expertise on the global stage,” he said. “It represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for young professionals to work on one of the most challenging projects in the world – here at home.”
If successful, the Strait of Messina Bridge will stand not only as a feat of engineering but as a powerful symbol of Italy’s ambition and unity.
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