The Recreational Port of Olhão was (finally) concessioned today, June 16, and will be the target of an investment of more than 3,3 million euros, which will allow the creation of terrestrial infrastructure to support the marina and increase the number of moorings up to 500, when it currently has 299. An intervention that, for the Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino, will make this port “a reference, not only at a regional level, but at a national level, in recreational boating”.
«With this concession contract, on the one hand, we are going to have an increase in capacity here. We currently have a little less than 300 mooring places and we will have, in a first phase, 340. In a second phase, which is still being subject to an Environmental Impact Study, we will have 500 places», summarized the Minister of Sea.
The infrastructure was granted to the company Verbos do Cais, which wins the right to explore the Porto de Recreio de Olhão for 35 years and manage the space. In return, the concessionaire will have to invest the 3,35 million euros necessary to carry out all the necessary works and to pay a fixed fee, as well as a variable one, indexed to the profits it obtains.
In the first phase, the expansion will be made to Nascente, in the area already defined, which ends at the line where Jardim Pescador Olhanense ends and the Municipal Markets begin. Later, there will be a new expansion, but to the west, as both the minister and the concessionaire's representative assured, there will be no growth on the side where the Caique Bom Sucesso wharf is located, the area destined for local fishing (front to Jardim Patrão Joaquim Lopes) and Cais do T.
The expansion of the Port of Recreio and the relocation of local fishing vessels to the Port of Olhão was defended by the mayor of Olhão, but the minister's understanding is quite different. «It could never be to the other side (Nascente) because the tutelage would not authorize», assured Ana Paula Vitorino, who defended the importance of traditional fishing.
Thus, the company will wait for the Environment to give the green light, before moving on to the final expansion. The expansion of the capacity to 340 vessels should start to be taken care of now and ready "next year", believes Ana Paula Vitorino.
In addition to the interventions in the maritime part, the company Verbos do Cais, which won the concession, is responsible for building all the land infrastructure. These include spaces for nautical services, administration, commerce and restaurants and an area for fuel supply, among others. Maintenance dredging is also planned (in the entire maritime concession area).
From the contract signed today between Docapesca and Verbos do Cais, it was stipulated that the company will have to follow a set of good environmental practices, in order to be considered a greenport. "This has to do with oil, waste and all the management of the activity, which will be more demanding," explained the Minister of the Sea, who argues that concerns about the environment should not reach "only large ports."
Closely linked to this concession is another, right next door: the one that Docapesca assigned to the City Council in 2015, for the management of the Ria de Olhão front, which extends from the area in front of the Real Marina Hotel to the Naval de Olhão Group and from here to the old auction (area in front of the former Fiscal Guard premises).
In this field, the minister pointed out that what exists, for now, «is just a protocol», but that it could evolve into a transition from State tutelage to autarchy. "The framework law for decentralization is currently being discussed in the Assembly of the Republic, which will allow us to formalize the transfer of ownership of some areas to the City Council."
The Municipality of Olhão thanks both the Government's intention to grant it an area for which it has already announced a large-scale rehabilitation project, which will be paid for with the help of the Polis Ria Formosa Program, as well as the concession of the Port of Recreio, a measure already much demanded by the municipality.
«Some studies say that a marina can have a multiplier effect on the economy of a four-star hotel. If we take into account that, when it is complete, it will have 500 moorings/rooms, it's doing the math…», considered the mayor of Olhão António Pina.
See the photos of the concession session of Porto de Recreio de Olhão:
Photos: Ana Madeira | Sul Informação
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