Posted on December 1, 2025
“Three major interventions,” including “maintenance dredging,” will begin in “early 2026” at the Port of Portimão, announced APS – the Port Authority of Sines and the Algarve.
According to Sul Informação It was determined that these works have nothing to do with the large dredging campaign planned for this port, which will have to be… preceded by extensive underwater archaeological workThese are, rather, routine interventions that take place from time to time.
Despite this, the dredging will be monitored by archaeological experts, in an intervention coordinated with the National Center for Nautical and Underwater Archaeology (CNANS), as confirmed to our newspaper by José Bettencourt, head of the CNANS Division.
APS is thus preparing to “initiate three major interventions aimed at improving and increasing the competitiveness of the Port of Portimão,” in accordance with “the objectives defined in the Strategy for Mainland Commercial Ports 2025-2035 – PORTOS 5+, which foresees growth in passenger traffic in national ports of around 30%.”
Thus, the works, the responsibility of the Port Authority, include “maintenance dredging of the seabed to improve maritime accessibility, restoring safety and operational conditions for 220-meter cruise ships, thereby contributing to increasing the port’s capacity.”
On the other hand, there will also be “a naval repair and structural improvement of the RO-RO quay for ferry ships and for the simultaneous berthing of two tenders (vessels that enable the transport of passengers from ships anchored offshore to the Portimão Cruise Terminal), streamlining and increasing the offer for larger capacity ships”.
APS adds that it will also reinforce and improve “land access to the Portimão Port Maritime Terminal, benefiting and streamlining the port-city connection”.
The Port Authority adds that the Port of Portimão already has around 100 cruise ship calls scheduled for 2026 and 117 calls for 2027, mainly because it is “strategically located between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean routes,” thus presenting “strong growth potential.”
Furthermore, the Port of Portimão “will close 2025 with one of its best results ever, with a total of 58 cruise ship calls and around 23.000 passengers, corresponding to year-on-year growth of 45% and 63%, respectively.”
