Affected by large sea storms from the North Atlantic, the river mouth of Douro had been experiencing serious problems for navigation and for riverside urban areas. The technical solutions proposed by CONSULMAR led to the construction, by the consortium who won the international tender, of a  detached jetty, 500 m long and another jetty in the north, 450 m long, a vertical monolithic structure, consisted of precast holed concrete blocks and precast concrete caissons, filled with concrete and riprap. This breakwater is overtopped under storm conditions, but under operational conditions, a recreational use of the area, in continuity with the adjoining urban space, is foreseen. Inside the breakwater, there is a gallery in all its extension, with portholes, which links the restaurants area in the root of the breakwater to the lighthouse at its head. Some significant numbers: 23,000 m³ of high density concrete blocks; 16,000 m³ of reinforced concrete caissons and other precast elements; 54,000 m³ of concrete for filling cells and in the breakwaters crest structures; 300,000 m³ of riprap on the breakwaters and revetments; 14,000 m³ of rock breaking in the channel and foundation of the works; 200,000 m³ of dredging.

Location: Porto, Portugal

Employer: IPTM – Institute for Ports and Maritime Transport