The draft Regional Plan for this year estimates an investment of more than 2.4 million euros in the port of Praia da Vitória and maintains the intention to expand the infrastructure.
The Regional Government of the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition is committed to “studies and a project to extend the multipurpose pier” and to “improving access to the port and the safety systems for ferry and ro-ro operations”.
This preliminary proposal also highlights the “requalification of the workshops, warehouse and port building”.
The Azorean executive’s document will be debated and voted on next month in the Azorean Legislative Assembly, just like the budget proposal. The previous documents were rejected in November last year, which led to early regional elections.
In this preliminary proposal, the investment earmarked for the commercial port of Praia da Vitória stands at 2,451,779 euros, 780,809 from the Plan (direct investment by the Region) and 1,670,970 euros from other funds.
The extension of the commercial pier at the port of Praia by 350 meters was a promise made by the president of the PSD/Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, who is also the leader of the Regional Government, in September 2021, when the campaign for the local elections was underway.
At the time, DI reported that the 2022 regional budget would already provide funds for the project and that the work, expected to cost between 20 and 25 million euros, could begin in 2023.
The idea would be for the extended area of the pier to curve into the bay, allowing ships to dock on both sides and resolving the issue of creating a cruise pier in Praia da Vitória.


Meanwhile, according to the preliminary draft of the 2024 Annual Regional Plan, the port, marina, and bay of Angra do Heroísmo have nearly 857,000 euros earmarked, 793,795 from the Plan and 63,750 from other funds.
The funds will support investments in the port of Pipas, “especially the construction of the ramp for ro-ro and ferry ships and complementary works to improve operations and shelter.” The study and construction of the new terminal are also mentioned.
The document mentions the “acquisition of various pieces of equipment to improve port operations, including the acquisition of two reach stackers for the port of Horta, the acquisition of a tugboat for the port of Ponta Delgada, and the acquisition of port cranes for the ports of Ponta Delgada, Praia da Vitória, and Horta.”
The draft Annual Regional Plan provides 4.7 million euros for the airport, entirely from the Plan.
It mentions a “project to expand the departure lounges and rehabilitate the old NAVY hangar and turn it into offices” and “attracting new air operations to Lajes Airport, to consolidate the tourism sector in the Azores, in general, and on Terceira Island, in particular.”
However, the lion’s share of the funds goes to the “conservation, maintenance and equipping” of the terminal, with 2.6 million.
The project to expand Lajes airport represents 350 thousand euros.
The purchase of an automatic weather station is planned to “provide Lajes Airport with state-of-the-art tools to make civil aviation safer and more efficient,” an investment of 850,630 euros.
As far as the Lajes Base is concerned, the executive intends to go ahead with a project to restore and boost the facilities of the American School.

The aim is to develop the “preliminary studies needed to reactivate the former American School at Lajes Base, to generate added value for the local and regional economy.” This project has 100,000 euros, according to the document.
References to the Lajes Base can also be found in the chapter dedicated to “Economic Cooperation and Diplomacy”. The Regional Government wants to “assert the voice of the Region in defending its interests in terms of relations with the USA, namely in the Permanent Bilateral Commission between Portugal and the USA in the areas of cooperation with the Azores and in environmental and labor issues at the Lajes Base, in conjunction with the Government of Portugal.”
In the environmental area, the “development of an experimental station to promote and test the phytoremediation role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soils contaminated by heavy metals and hydrocarbons, as well as the mapping of contaminated sites,” are the priorities for the bio-remediation and restoration of contaminated soils in the municipality of Praia da Vitória.

in Diário Insular–José Lourenço-director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.