Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) Sines in Portugal has inaugurated a new phase of the Sines Container Terminal, marking the completion of the first stage of the expansion.
“Portugal and Singapore both stand at the crossroads of busy sea lanes connecting Asia and Europe. PSA Sines is situated in a strategic location and is positioned to be an important transshipment hub in Europe,” said Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s foreign minister, who was a guest of honour at the inauguration ceremony in Portugal.
The first stage of the expansion includes an additional 204 metres of quay length, which will allow PSA Sines to handle three mega-vessels simultaneously.
PSA Sines noted that since the start of the works for the terminal in 2000, it has invested more than US$207 million in developing the facility.
PSA Sines has embarked on an ambitious expansion project at a cost of US$309 million, called Phase III.
The Phase III expansion plan is expected to be fully completed by 2028, doubling the terminal’s annual handling capacity to 4.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) – and boosting its position as one of the major ports in the region.
“The Phase III expansion will further strengthen PSA Sines’ position as one of the main ports in the region, as well as facilitate the increase in cargo volume to meet the growing needs of our customers,” PSA Sines said.
The Port of Sines is an open deep-water sea port with excellent maritime access, without restrictions, leading the Portuguese port sector in the volume of cargo handled, and offering unique natural characteristics to receive any type of cargo vessels.
Sines, the main port on the Ibero-Atlantic front, is Portugal’s leading energy supplier (crude, refined products and natural gas), as well as an important port for general and containerised cargo, CLBrief reported.
