General Description
Location: Sines is situated on the W coast of Portugal, approx 58nm S of Lisbon, at the N of Sines Bay. It is located at 150 km from Lisbon, 125 km from Évora, 100 km from Beja and 182 km from Faro.
General overview: The deepwater port, which is able to receive very large vessels, comprises of five terminals; oil, petrochemicals, LNG, multipurpose, general and container. The bay offers a safe anchorage which is sheltered from the N by Cape Sines, all terminals are protected by breakwaters. There is also a fishing harbour and a leisure craft marina and a service port.
● Liquid Bulk Terminal
The Liquid Bulk Terminal (TGLS), inaugurated in 1978, is the largest liquid bulk terminal in the country. With six jetties and natural beds down to 28 metres ZH, it has the capacity to receive vessels up to 350,000 tones Dwt, and allows the simultaneous handling of different products (crude, refined products, liquefied gases and other liquid bulks). This terminal is operated by CLT – Companhia Logística de Terminais Marítimos.
● Petrochemical Terminal
Since 1981 the Port of Sines has a terminal dedicated to petrochemical products, which allows the handling of goods via a dedicated pipeline between vessels and the petrochemical complex located in the ZILS – Sines Industrial and Logistics Area of Sines. This terminal is run by Repsol Polímeros.
● Multipurpose Terminal
The Sines Multipurpose Terminal came on line in 1992 under a public service concession granted to the company Portsines. It is geared towards handling solid bulk, general cargo and ro-ro. It has 4 berths with a total length of 645 metres at the extrados and 296 meters at the intrados. With depths going down to 18 metres ZH, this allows the reception of ships up to 190,000 tonnes Dwt.
● LNG Terminal
The Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal started in 2003 and is run under a private use concession by the company REN Atlântico, today handling over 60% of the natural gas consumed in Portugal. Equipped with one jetty with beds of 15 metres ZH, it allows the reception of LNG tankers up to 216,000 cubic metres.
● Container Terminal – Terminal XXI
The Sines Container Terminal, called Terminal XXI, started its operations in 2004 under a public service concession by the company PSA Sines (PSA, a global port operator, formerly the Port of Singapore Authority).
Terminal XXI provides beds of 16 metres ZH, allowing the mooring of large container ships from intercontinental routes and of the ships with the respective connections by feeder.
The open sea port is sheltered by two breakwaters – West Breakwater (2.000 m N-S orientation) and the East Breakwater (2.200 m NW-SE orientation).
The Port of Sines and the Industrial and Logistics Zone offer road and rail connections directly linked to the terminals. Links to both the Portuguese and Spanish hinterland (IC33 – Sines/Évora/Spain; IP8 – Sines/Beja/Spain; and rail connection Sines/Elvas/Spain) are planned.
The land allocated to the development of the ZAL at Sines covers two areas: one situated in the intra-port zone and the other one in the extra-port zone
The fishing harbour is formed by an inner basin sheltered by a breakwater.
Principal cargoes: Bulk liquids (oil and petrochemical products), LNG and bulk solids (coal), general cargo and containers.
Imports: Crude oil, coal, LNG and naphtha.
Exports: Oil refined products and petrochemical products.
Traffic figures: Approx 1,400 vessels, 27,200,000t of cargo, including 230,000TEU are handled annually.
Load line zone: Summer.
Max size:
- Tankers: LOA 350m, 350,000DWT, draught 22.5m and manifold height 28m above water line.
- Dry Bulk/Coal: LOA 305m, 190,000DWT, draught 17.0m.
- LNG: LOA 300m, 165,000DWT.
- Containers: LOA 350m, increasing to 380m with quay extension, 14,000TEU.
The largest vessel called at the port: LOA: 400 m, draught: 16.4 m, deadweight: 318,129 t.