The shipping platform

Location: Horta is situated in Baia da Horta. General overview: Horta is the principle port in the central group of Arquipelago dos Azores and is often used by large vessels for lightering purposes because of its location in a deep water, sandy bottomed bay which offers good holding ground. The port also has berthing alongside, located on the inside of the breakwater. The well sheltered harbour is protected by a breakwater, depth at entrance 11-22m, with depths at the berths ranging from 3.6-9.1m. There are 15 berths with draughts of 7.6 m to 9.15 m. The passenger ferries operated by Transmaçor (the Cruzeiro do Canal and Cruzeiro da Ilha) provided passenger service to and from the island of Pico (Madalena), while Atlânticoline (using contracted ships) provided inter-island service to the remaining islands from the main dock across the harbour. On 28 July 2012, a new passenger ferry and dock was inaugurated across the harbour at the mouth of the Ribeira da Conceição across from the old District Courthouse. A newly built dock resulted in a 393-metre (1,289 ft) long wharf, with a 267-metre (876 ft) long by 80-metre (260 ft) wide usable docking space containing two ramps for roll-on/roll-off operation, with the express purpose of supporting passenger traffic within the triangle islands of the central Azores. A 130-metre (430 ft) long embankment 20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft) in area was also built to protect the Ribeira da Conceição. Traffic figures: Approx 200 vessels visit the port annually. Load line zone: North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31. Max size: draught: 9,15 m; LOA: 150 m. Largest vessel handled: "S Gabriel", 14,200GT, LOA 146m, draught 7.5m.