Secretary of State for Maritime Affairs, Nuno Fernandes Thomaz, has unveiled a 33 million-euro investment programme to revamp 16 of the country’s small ports, half of which are based in the Algarve. Speaking in Quarteira at the site of the extension to the dockside area to the west of the town, Thomaz said that the ports in question will receive funds from next year’s PIDDAC initiative, an investment programme from central government.
Highlighting the “enormous scale” of the investment, at a time of acute budgetary restraint, the minister cited the list of coastal ports, shelters and harbours up and down the country that will be the beneficiaries of the programme. Among them are Vila Praia de Âncora, Viana do Castelo, Vila do Conde, Aveiro, Figueira do Foz, Nazaré, Peniche, and Ericeira. In the Algarve: Albufeira, Alcoutim, Faro, Portimão, Quarteira, Olhão, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António will also receive funds.
The Secretary of State considered the extension of the Quarteira quayside to be an exemplary role model for the project because of its early completion. The 120 metre extension of the area will afford greater shelter to vessels that had previously experienced difficulty because of strong currents. The work in Quarteira, which began in May this year, cost almost a million euros. The revamping and extension of the quayside zone included renovating warehouses, factories, loading and unloading areas and navy shipyards.
