Portugal’s Blue Atlantic has announced new plans for an 800-meter quay to berth two Panamax vessels at the Port of Setubal.
“Our latest plans demonstrate the potential for an 800-metre quay to berth two Panamax-sized vessels alongside each other,” Fernando Fernandes , Blue Atlantic project lead, said.
“This development would transform the commercial potential of the seaport facility accommodating multi-purpose vessels including containers, bulk and cargo carriers,” he explained.
The 96-hectare site is an industrial zone intended for maritime, ports and logistics investors targeting the Iberian Peninsula and mainland Europe. It is located in the Mitrena Industrial Zone in Setubal Harbour, 40 kilometers south of Lisbon.
Portugal has devised a national plan to maximize one of the longest maritime coasts in Europe at 942 kilometers. Its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is the third largest in the European Union and eleventh largest in the world. However, new proposals seek to expand this economic zone from the current 200 miles of territorial sea to cover 350 miles, which will make it the tenth largest in the world.
“The sea is regarded as a ‘national plan for the future’ and the country has a firm strategy to promote maritime transport, naval construction, fishing and fish processing, among other activities,” Fernandes further said.