Portugal invests €16.7m to modernise rail link to Port of Setúbal

Portugal has earmarked €16.7m for the modernisation of the rail link to the Port of Setúbal, near Lisbon. The upgrade includes electrification of the line and the adaptation of infrastructure to accommodate 750-metre-long trains, to increase capacity. Annual train movements are expected to rise to 2,900. Infrastructure manager Infraestruturas de Portugal said the project seeks to achieve this by “increasing the line’s capacity, improving operating conditions, reliability and safety”. Portuguese media, citing Infraestruturas de Portugal, reported that the scheme will also contribute to “strengthening the competitiveness of the Port of Setúbal, increasing the efficiency of rail freight transport”. The €16.7m contract has been awarded to an ASCH/Cimontubo consortium and forms part of a broader €40m investment programme. The wider funding will support the international rail corridor linking the ports of Setúbal and Port of Sines with the hinterland. Who will benefit? The main beneficiaries are mining company Somincor, steel producers Megasa and Lusosider, and automotive manufacturer Autoeuropa, which are among the principal users of the terminals at the Port of Setúbal. Infrastructure minister Miguel Pinto Luz said the rail investment is “about making this port, this region, and the companies that operate within the Port of Setúbal’s sphere of influence more functional”.