Report of the practical training done in the general directorate of ports in Portugal, during the months september and october 1986

Abstract

This is not the main report, but the partial report. Portugal has a coast of approximately 800 km containing a lot of interesting coastal phenomena, such as estuaries, land spits, rock coasts, lagoons, cliffs and rias (areas af sandbanks and canals in open connection with the sea). Also a lot a different harbours can be found along this coast. The problems encountered during the desk studies and the visits vary drastically, from the closure of a river by sedimentations of the littoral drift in Praia de Areia Branca, to the stability of the tetrapods on the rubble mound breakwater in Nazaré. For the lay out of a fishing harbour and the handling of the fish, the D.G.P has developed a procedure which is applied in many harbours. Erosion and sedimentation form the problem in Aveiro where also a new commercial dock is just finished. Viano do Castello is the harbour in the north of Portugal where the river bed was changed as one of the necessary works in order to enlarge the capacity of the harbour. A new coal terminal is almost finished in Sines harbour as the first phase of the master plan for the development of this area. The breakwater which is exposed to very severe storm conditions is protected with blocks up to 72 tons, to resist the design waves of 11 meters! The development of the harbour of Portimao in the Algarve was done in only 10 years, including a fishing dock, a commercial and tourist dock and a naval quay. The entrance of the Ria de Faro suffered from severe erosion after the entrance was stabilized by the construction of two breakwaters. The repairing is in full action at the moment. The harbour of Lisbon contains a lot of different harbour activities, but will concentrate in fut ure on the development of containers, cereal, and tourism.