The Construction work on the Praia da Vitória Multi-purpose Pier is set to begin in 2026, with several bids already submitted for the public tender. “The process is with the jury. I am aware that several interested parties were involved. They are now in the pre-qualification phase. Only those who qualify will move on to the second phase,” revealed Berta Cabral, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructure, yesterday during a visit to Porto da Praia da Vitória.

The public tender for the construction of the multi-purpose pier was launched on October 13, with a base price of €40.3 millionand a deadline of November 9 for submitting applications. According to Berta Cabral, only after the candidates have been qualified will there be a second phase for the submission of proposals, followed by the administrative procedures for the award of the contract and the Court of Auditors’ approval. The regional secretary for Infrastructure did not, therefore, want to give a more detailed estimate for the start of the work, but said that it will take place in 2026.

The project, with a completion deadline of 3 years, will extend the berthing quay at Porto da Praia da Vitória by a further 350 meters (as shown in the imageon the cover), allowing the infrastructure to be used simultaneously by cargo and passenger ships, including cruise ships. “This is a project that has been awaited for many years by the population of Terceira Island and the Azores in general, which will create a range of other facilities and opportunities for the port, because the port is large in terms of its embankment, but has little berthing quay,” said Berta Cabral.

The Port of Praia da Vitória currently has a 350-meter berthing quay, which will double in size with this project. “It is difficult to manage when there are several ships at the same time, namely bulk carriers, cruise ships, cargo ships, and local traffic ships. All of this requires reorganization and the creation of a multipurpose quay,” said the government official. Berta Cabral stressed that the work is “structural” and will consolidate the maritime cargo transport model in the region.

“We already have container ships every week on all the islands, with the exception of Flores, because they have a particular situation. We have more ships, more cargo. This is a model that is constantly evolving in accordance with the path that was previously determined and studied, which we are consolidating and implementing,” she stressed.

Budgeted at €40.3 million, the work is included in the Region’s Investment Plan for 2026 and will be 85% co-financed by the Sustainable Operational Program 2030.

Since 2008, the possibility of building a cruise ship pier on Terceira Island has been under discussion. Initially, it was planned for Angra do Heroísmo, and later, shared use of the US Air Force dock was considered. The construction of a multi-purpose pier in the Port of Praia da Vitória was announced in August 2023 by the current president of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, who expected the company Portos dos Açores to launch the project by the end of that year. For Berta Cabral, the option to build a multi-purpose pier is “much more versatile” and allows for a cruise ship pier that “can also be used for other activities.” When asked about the delay in launching the tender, Berta Cabral claimed that these processes take years and that “there is a lot of work before this moment of preparing all the procedural documents, the project itself, subject to various simulations and technical opinions.”

The Angra do Heroísmo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIAH) expressed “dissatisfaction” with the Environmental Impact Statement regarding the construction of the multi-purpose pier, which was favorable but conditional, fearing “obstacles and constraints” to the completion of the work.

The Secretary of Infrastructure, however, assured that the environmental impact study did not condition the process. “Environmental impact studies, like all studies, are being carried out, are being put forward for hearings and opinions, and we are trying to iron out the rough edges to meet the requirements raised by the studies. They give a favorable opinion, subject to the implementation of the study’s recommendations. That is what will happen. We will implement it in accordance with the study,” she explained.

In Diário Insular, José Lourenço, director

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