The project is open for public consultation until September 9th on the participa.pt portal, Executive Digest reports. Officials from the Ports of Sines and Algarve Administration (APS) said yesterday: "The project is currently in the public consultation phase, as part of the environmental assessment procedure, and the start of the construction contract is not planned at this stage.”

In a written response sent to the Lusa news agency, APS clarified that if the project goes ahead, it will reinforce the capacity of the Port of Sines, in the Setúbal district, to receive "large ships carrying oversized cargo".

The facility will also function as a multimodal logistics hub, “contributing to the consolidation and enhancement of port infrastructures of high strategic value," APS added.

Dual-purpose port

The quay was designed for different civil uses, such as offshore renewable energy and the handling of agri-food bulk products, according to the Non-Technical Summary consulted by Lusa.

The written response also states that "the planned dual use of the infrastructure means that it can be used for both civilian purposes and for occasional support of military mobility operations." However, this use "does not correspond to the installation of a permanent military infrastructure nor to the provision of exclusively military activities," it reads.

APS clarified to Lusa that the project contemplates “potential dual-purpose requirements," when questioned about the possibility of military use. The project “remains geared towards strengthening the port and multimodal capacity of Sines and supporting the logistical needs of the economy and industry,” APS emphasised.

Connecting ships, trucks and trains

The new dock will have capacity for the direct transfer of cargo between ships, trucks and trains to best accommodate “heavy industries” and “onshore and offshore renewable energies. “The infrastructure was designed to respond to different types of loads and operations that require high levels of capacity, safety, resistance and operational flexibility," APS said.

According to APS, "the eventual completion of the project will depend on the evolution of the Port of Sines' strategy for development and capacity building for the handling of special cargo."

APS said that the development of the project constitutes strategic planning steps that will align with the “vision of strengthening the competitiveness, capacity and resilience of the Port of Sines.”