The operation is part of a €1.5 million coastal protection project
The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has announced a €1.5 million coastal protection project to replenish sand at Portimão’s popular Vau beach, set to begin after the end of this year’s beach season.
In a statement, APA explained that the project was recently awarded through public tender and involves a sediment migration intervention aimed at reversing natural sand drift patterns. In other words, sand accumulated at Praia da Rocha will be relocated back to the erosion-prone stretch of beaches between Praia do Vau and Praia dos Três Castelos, where cliff instability poses risks to beachgoers, the agency says.
The operation is scheduled to start after the summer season, with an expected completion timeframe of 210 days. The intervention covers 1.35 kilometres of coastline and targets beaches backed by cliffs, including Careanos, Amado, and Três Castelos. It will also expand the sand area available to beach users, moving them further from the base of cliffs and reducing risk exposure.
According to APA, the work is essential to reduce erosion and improve public safety in an area where unstable sea cliffs are known hazards. Fresh in the minds of Algarve residents is the 2009 tragedy at Praia Maria Luísa in Albufeira, where a cliff collapse killed five people.
