Work began this week on the dredging contract in the northern ports, after approval by the Court of Auditors and consignment of the contract works.

The first works concern the surveys to update the bathymetric data in Póvoa de Varzim, then Vila do Conde and finally Esposende, in order to know the exact situation of the sediments in these ports.

Based on the consolidated results of the surveys, dredging will start with two dredgers, one in Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Conde and a second one in Esposende.

Thus, the first multiannual contract for dredging of the DGRM will be put into execution, applicable to the northern ports, with a total value of 4.1 million euros and for a time horizon of 2021-2023. The budgetary allocation comes entirely from the State Budget.

At the port of Vila Praia de Âncora dredging is still underway, based on the partnership between DGRM and Polis Norte, so the new multi-year contract will only contemplate work for this port in 2022.

The multi-annual contracting modality presents significant advantages for management and for the safety of navigation in the ports in question, since it allows for a larger budget allocation, a larger quantity of sediments to be dredged, better multi-annual planning of the works and more predictability in operations and activities.

The multi-annual planning benefits, above all, the clients of these ports, since they will have more days of operation during the year and more maritime safety when going to sea and returning to port. It is also an important step in the implementation of the National Dredging Plan drawn up by DGRM in partnership with LNEC.