Construction of the breakwater for the Baños del Carmen beach-renewal project in Málaga is approaching a key stage, with work on its 100-metre above-water section nearing completion. The next steps include building the structure’s bend and continuing with its submerged section, where work is expected to proceed more slowly because of the volume of material and changing seabed depths.
The full breakwater is planned to extend 193 metres from El Morlaco. The project also includes adding 70,000 cubic metres of sand, which is being stored at Baños del Carmen. The sand will be spread once the breakwater is complete or sufficiently advanced.
The scheme aims to expand the beach from 2,700 to 12,700 square metres and increase its average width from 10 to 37 metres. The work is intended to help retain sand along a coastline where the beach has gradually diminished since the 1980s.
Environmental safeguards include relocating 30 endangered ferruginous limpets, protecting nearby plants and rocky outcrops, and using barriers to limit suspended material in the water. Planned access improvements include a new staircase and changes to the eastern entrance for people with reduced mobility.
The nearly five-million-euro project has a nine-month completion period. The aim is to finish before summer 2027, but the schedule depends in part on winter storms and other weather conditions.