Land reclamation in Monaco

Land reclamation is done in Monaco through a policy of building land in the sea with concrete blocks because land is very scarce, as the country is comparatively tiny, at {{cvt|2.08|sqkm}}. To solve this problem and to continue economic development, for years the country has added to its total land area by reclaiming land from the sea.{{Cite web|url=https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/641088769/giovanni-lomaestro-green-building-in-monaco-45-of-construction-waste|title=Giovanni Lomaestro: ‘Green building in Monaco, -45% of construction waste’|first1=E. I. N.|last1=News|first2=Giovanni|last2=Lomaestro|date=June 26, 2023|website=EIN News}}{{cite web | url=https://www.monaco-tribune.com/en/2020/01/timelapse-video-monacos-e2-billion-land-extension-project/ | title=Timelapse video: Monaco's €2 billion land extension project | date=24 January 2020 }}

File:Monaco - Fontvieille (48930251626).jpg ward, Monaco]]

Geography

Of Monaco's eleven administrative wards, two are built entirely on reclaimed land. Fontvieille was constructed in the western part of Monaco in the 1970s, and also serves as the newest of the four traditional quartiers (districts) of the principality. Le Portier, which forms part of the district of Monte-Carlo, finished construction in 2024.

Land has also been added to areas of La Condamine, primarily around the main harbor, and Larvotto/Bas Moulins.

File:Monaco depuis since 1861.png

History

Prince Albert's father, Rainier III, was known as the "Builder Prince". In an attempt to further develop the economy of Monaco, he first supported the idea of land reclamation. Since it was impossible to extend into France, the only solution was to reclaim land from the sea. First, the Larvotto beach district was created in the early 1960s, then the Fontvieille industrial area, increasing the principality's surface area by approximately 20 percent. More recently, Port Hercules has been extended to welcome larger cruise ships on one side, and to provide land for a new Yacht Club on the other.

Projects

=Le Portier=

File:Mareterra in 2023-07.png

Le Portier, also known as Portier Cove,{{cite web|last=Smisek|first=Peter|date=2019-09-12|title=Monaco's Land Reclamation Reaches Key Milestone|url=https://www.theb1m.com/video/monacos-land-reclamation-project-reaches-important-milestone|access-date=2020-10-03|website=The B1m|language=en}} and Mareterra by its commercial name, was officially inaugurated for use on December 4, 2024.{{cite web |date=2025 |title=Mareterra: Economic Impact and Sustainability |url=https://carolineolds.com/mareterra-monaco-economic-impact-and-sustainability/ |access-date=3 February 2025 |website=carolineolds.com}} The project costed € 2 billion and is grounded on eighteen 26-meter high caissons weighing 10,000 ton each.{{Cite web |last=McClatchie |first=Chrissie |title=Monaco's new €2bn neighbourhood rising out of the sea |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250516-monacos-new-neighbourhood-rising-out-of-the-sea |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}} The land reclamation itself was completed in 2020,{{Cite magazine |last=Kennedy |first=Catherine |date=2020-09-17 |title=Precast caissons aid Monaco land reclamation |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/innovative-thinking/precast-caissons-aid-monaco-land-reclamation-17-09-2020/ |access-date=2020-09-21 |magazine=New Civil Engineer |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://larochesuryon.maville.com/actu/actudet_-monaco-television.-immersion-au-coeur-d-un-chantier-titanesque-pour-agrandir-monaco-sur-rmc-decouverte-_54135-4051173_actu.Htm|title=Monaco - Télévision. Immersion au cœur d’un chantier titanesque pour agrandir Monaco sur « RMC|website=larochesuryon.maville.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.eleconomista.es/status/noticias/9150706/05/18/El-plan-de-24-mil-millones-de-dolares-de-Monaco-sigue-siendo-relevante.html|title=Mónaco crece seis hectáreas, más terreno de paraíso fiscal}} while the land development was finalised in 2024.

Issues

Monaco's coastline on the Mediterranean is already a fragile and vulnerable environment. Any further land reclamation projects threaten to disturb or damage the coastal ecosystem. Monaco's leaders have approached the prospect of further land reclamation with caution and have stated that new projects would have to meet strict environmental standards to limit damage to flora and wildlife. Due to the concerns that land reclamation could potentially damage local marine ecosystems, Prince Albert II has insisted the entire expansion be placed on stilts, like an oil rig, in order to disturb the sea floor as little as possible.{{cite web|title=Monaco to reclaim land from the sea|url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/monaco-to-reclaim-land-from-the-sea-1990724.html|publisher=Independent.ie|accessdate=5 June 2012}}