Port Authority plans to invest over EUR 75 million in the Douro River – publico

                 

                         
                     

                 

 
                         

The Administration of Douro Ports, Leixões and Viana do Castelo (Port Authority) plans to invest over the next five years more than 75 million euros in improving the navigation conditions of the Douro River. Two goals of this project undergo make the navigable river for 24 hours per day, and more desirable for the transport of goods.

                     

                         The management of the Fairway of the Douro, in its 220 kilometers long, to Barca d’Alva, is the most recent award of the Port Authority, which saw approved on 10 July a funding of 2.3 million euros, half of that for a first phase of studies that will define, by the middle of next year, which works needs to be done on the channel. The EUR 75 million is a benchmark for some interventions taken for granted, but the exact figures until the end of this phase will be announced.

The president of this public company, Emílio Brogueira Days, outlined the main points plan and carry out interventions in the river during a short trip on a ship-hotel between the Cais de Gaia and the new terminal of Leixões Cruises, which was Thursday opened. The trip to dozens of guests allowed appreciate the project architect Luis Pedro Silva in south jetty of Leixões from the sea, in a perspective that only tourists from cruise ships and the sailors who frequent the harbor have access.

This trip was made possible because the new terminal has a river-sea pier so that ships can go to hotels Leixões seek customers for its river cruises. The Douro is being increasingly sought and, last year, attracted 600 000 tourists. The Port Authority believes that there is potential for growth, both in navigation in leisure sector and the transport of goods, but it will be necessary to invest in broadening and deepening the canal in some sections – with EDP will still have to pay damages the dam of Foz Tua-triggered navigation in that area.

The whole channel is being studied by the Hydrographic Institute, and will have a new navigation chart. One of the investment will include the installation of a RIS (River Information System), which will provide the boats electronic navigation with GPS and create a real security system with online connection to local authorities to improve meteorological monitoring and to a management traffic with the level of reliability that exists today in Leixões.

Improved safety in navigation, there will also be an investment to modernize the locks so that more boats can cross several existing dams on the waterway. According Brogueira days, these works should be carried out under a partnership between EDP and the Port Authority so that they can also be candidatáveis ​​the Community funds.

Gift this presentation, the Secretary of State for Tourism considered that this investment is essential for the strengthening of the Duero and North, as a tourist destination. “The demand already exists, pointed out, we just need to give conditions for operators to improve the existing supply,” noted the politician responsible for that sector in the country registered a 35% revenue increase in the last four years.