«It is positive that there is a favorable Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA), although conditioned», of the work of “Deepening and Widening the Navigation Channel of the Port of Portimão”, considered today, Monday, the 4th, José Apolinário, chairman of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission.
On the 1st of July, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) issued a favorable DAY for the project that aims to create the conditions that allow the maneuvering basin of the Commercial Port of Portimão to be used by even larger cruise ships - it will pass the limit current from 210-meter vessels to 273-meter vessels -, as Sul Informação advanced first hand.
This assent only happened on the second attempt and culminated a process that began «six years ago». This favorable declaration is subject to a series of constraints, related to dredging, the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage and the area where the maneuvering basin is located.
Despite the conditions that were imposed, the Parish Council of Ferragudo went public declare themselves indignant and "mourning" after having been given a positive opinion conditioned to the project.
For this municipality, “once again, the environmental, cultural and fishing values of the populations on the left bank of the Arade were not taken into account”.
However, José Apolinário guaranteed today, «at a critical and decisive moment» of this process, «there was a joint document, signed by the presidents of the Chambers and Municipal Assemblies of Lagoa and Portimão and of the Parish Council of Ferragudo, in order to express to the Government and the Portuguese Environment Agency for the strategic interest that the port has for the region».
Without this declaration, the project “would not be done”, he stressed. It is certain that the document in question was signed by the former president of the Parish Council, who, even so, is also from the PS, like the presidents of the two Chambers, who still hold the position, and the presidents of the AM of the two municipalities. neighbors.
With this revelation, José Apolinário wanted to make it clear that there was agreement between the parties and concessions on the part of the project proponent, APS.
«There was a profound remodeling of the project since the initial version», he assured.
One of the advances achieved was the imposition of a preliminary survey of the archaeological remains existing in the mouth of the Arade, the intervention area, «before the dredging is carried out».
This is a job that will take «one or two years» and will cost «about three million euros».
Then, dredging will be able to proceed, which aims to increase the quota from the current 10 meters to 12 meters deep, which will cost “at least 17 million euros”.
But even at this stage, the dredger will have to be mechanical and always have an archeologist on board.
As for the sands that are removed from the site, part of them, the ones with the smallest granulometry, will be replaced on the beaches of Lagoa, Portimão and Meia Praia. The rest will be deposited offshore».
Another point of honor of CCDR do Algarve is to obtain «support from the Government and the European Commission» to move forward with a project for «decarbonization and environmental requalification of the Port of Portimão».
«This is something we would like to do until 2024 and involves around 12 million euros of investment», concluded José Apolinário.
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