Portugal
Instituto Portuário e dos Transportes Marítimos, I.P. – Delegação do Norte e Douro
The Port and Maritime Transport Institute (Instituto Portuário e dos Transportes Marítimos, I.P. or IPTM, I.P.) is based in Lisbon and has delegations in Peso da Régua, Figueira da Foz and Faro. Its functions include: supervision, coordination of planning and strategic development, standardization, regulation and control in the ambit of Port and Maritime Administration and the management of secondary ports in continental Portugal and of navigation on the River Douro.
The North and Douro Delegation of IPTM, I.P., with headquarters in Peso da Régua, has the following functions:
- To promote navigation on the Douro’s waterway and encourage the development of related activities;
- To develop and maintain infra-structures and equipment in order to ensure the circulation of traffic along the waterway and the use of port facilities;
- To administer public property within its area of jurisdiction;
- To coordinate interventions on the part of other public or private bodies that might affect the waterway
The activities of the North and Douro Delegation of the IPTM, I.P. are managed by the delegate director for the management of traffic on the River Douro.
Douro's Waterway
Tourist boats
The whole of the Douro waterway, a stretch of 210 Km running from the estuary in Oporto to Barca d'Alva, is open to most large tourist boats, allowing tourists many opportunities to enjoy the unique landscapes of the Douro and get to know the traditions, culture and gastronomy of the region. At present, around 57 tourist boats operate on the Douro, with capacities ranging from 20 to 350 passengers, offering many different kinds of trip, ranging from a short tour (past the 6 bridges of Oporto and Gaia, for example, or the World Heritage tour) to the week-long cruise from Oporto to Barca d'Alva in luxury cruiser.
Along the river, local councils together with the IPTM have built and improved harbours with quality facilities appropriate to high-class tourism. In most municipalities, works have been completed or are being carried out to ensure that the proper conditions exist for the reception of tourists from the river and also to attract the local people to the river.
Merchant shipping
Merchant shipping is mostly concentrated on the transportation of granite from the quarries of Alpendorada, Pedras Salgadas, Viseu and Aguiar da Beira. As for traffic upstream, rare granites from the north of Europe have been imported, which are unloaded in Sardoura and Várzea do Douro to be worked and eventually re-exported.
Douro’s habours:
Water sports and pleasure boating
Alongside the development of tourist and merchant shipping, with the support of the IPTM (North and Douro Delegation), various initiatives have been implemented in the area of river sports, particularly rowing, sailing, canoeing and the use of motorboats.
Fairway
Breadth
The fairway, delimited where necessary with buoys (green on the left bank and red on the right) has the following minimal breadth:
- On a rocky bed: 40m
- On an alluvial bed: 60m
Depth
The fairway at present permits the following minimal depths:
- 4.20m from the sea to Pinhão and from Pocinho to Barca d'Alva;
- 2.50m from Pinhão to the dam at Pocinho (although there are stretches where it is more).
Gradient
The gradient of 125 m between the sea and Barca d'Alva is overcome by means of 5 locks that all have the same breadth (12.1 m) and a length of between 86 and 92 m along the longitudinal axis.
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Contact details
IPTM, I.P. – Delegação do Norte e Douro
Tel.: +351 254320020
Fax: +351 254324043
E-mail:
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Address: Av. Sacadura Cabral – Godim
5050-071 Peso da Régua – Portugal
Website: www.douro.iptm.pt
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