Lisbon, July 30, 2025 (Lusa) - The Ports 5+ strategy, aimed at promoting growth in the port sector in Portugal over the next 10 years, provides for investment of €4 billion, 75% of which will come from the private sector, and the launch of 15 new concessions, the Government announced on Wednesday.
The Strategy for Commercial Ports on the Mainland 2025-2035, Ports 5+, prepared jointly with the mainland's port administrations and their respective port communities, has been approved by the Government and will be presented at a ceremony at the Gare Marítima da Rocha do Conde de Óbidos in Lisbon, attended by the Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz.
According to the Government, one of the strategic axes involves increasing the growth of port structures, with private investment of around €3 billion and €1 billion from the Port Authority and EU funds.
There are also plans to launch 15 new concessions by 2035, “for which recent legislative changes, which will allow concessions to be granted for up to 75 years, are essential”, the Government stressed.
"Growth in cargo handling in the mainland's main commercial ports is a core objective of this strategy for 2035, with a target of around 125 million tonnes (+50% compared to 2023), 6.5 million TEU [20-foot equivalent unit] (+70%) and three million passengers (+30%)", the Government emphasised, also pointing to the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 80%.
Among the planned investments are a new container terminal in the northern area and expansion of the Ro-Ro (Roll on - Roll off) terminal in the southern area of the Port of Leixões, in Matosinhos, as well as the expansion and modernisation of the current terminals at the Port of Aveiro and a new Ro-Ro terminal, with a focus on the automotive cluster in the centre region.
In Figueira da Foz, the modernisation of the current terminals and the improvement of maritime access are planned, in Lisbon the reorganisation and redevelopment of the eastern terminals and the implementation of the strategy for Silotagus, and in Setúbal the expansion of the embankment with the launch of new terminals and the strengthening of the shipbuilding industry's capacities, including the tender for the Mitrena shipyard.
In the Alentejo region port of Sines, the country's largest port in terms of size and capacity, the expansion of the Sines XXI Terminal is expected to be completed and the new Vasco da Gama container terminal launched.
Of the total estimated investment, 250 million is earmarked for promoting decarbonisation and sustainability, including the installation of onshore power supply (OPS) stations in all ports.
A further €300 million is planned for investment in greater intermodality and connectivity, such as improving rail access to the ports of Leixões, Aveiro and Setúbal and developing navigability on the Douro and Tagus rivers.
Finally, the strategy includes €70 million in investment in digitisation and automation and €300 million to promote greater integration between ports and urban areas and to strengthen security, with the transfer of powers to local authorities (Almada, Faro, Lagoa, Lisbon, Oeiras, Setúbal, Sines, Viana do Castelo and Vila Nova de Gaia).
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