Global sustainable infrastructure group Acciona has announced that it has achieved a significant milestone in industrialising and decarbonising its maritime construction processes by designing a new stationary facility to pump concrete to its floating caisson dock, known as Kugira.

The move marks the industrialisation of a key phase in port construction, which Acciona says aligns closely with the sustainability and infrastructure priorities of the Middle East.

Kugira is considered the world’s largest floating caisson dock, a massive, mobile factory owned by Acciona used to build giant reinforced concrete blocks (caissons) for ports and maritime infrastructure.

The new stationary facility features four static concrete pumps: two electric and two powered by combustion engines capable of running on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a renewable biofuel produced from waste vegetable oil.

Acciona states that a novel piping system in the facility ensures a constant and efficient flow of concrete, guaranteeing optimal operation of the Kugira floating dock.

By integrating electrification, renewable fuels, and industrialised processes, the company aims to transform maritime infrastructure construction towards more efficient and sustainable models.

The innovation is particularly relevant to the Middle East, where port and coastal infrastructure are central to economic diversification and regional connectivity.

Acciona is a global leader in providing renewable solutions for a decarbonised economy, covering renewable energy, water treatment, and resilient infrastructure. The company has been active in the Middle East for over 15 years, executing major projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. These include the Fujairah SWRO desalination plant, the Madinah 3 and Buraydah 2 wastewater treatment plants, and the Dubai Metro 2020 expansion.

Acciona highlights that its new low-carbon concrete pumping system embodies the same philosophy applied across the region: combining technological innovation and low-carbon construction to deliver infrastructure that supports the environmental goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE Net Zero 2050 initiative.

As port expansion, coastal development, and renewable-powered infrastructure gain momentum across the Middle East, Acciona believes its industrialised construction approach offers a scalable and sustainable model for the region’s future maritime works.