The City Council of Viana do Castelo approved yesterday a protocol between the municipality, the polytechnic and the Sustermare association for the construction of a center for research in ocean energies and technologies, budgeted at €5.1 million.
The project will be submitted to the Norte 2030 program, with a total projected investment of €5,126,434.96, VAT included, with the municipality of Viana do Castelo bearing the costs related to construction and supervision, amounting to €3,904,847.89, VAT included.
The architectural and specialized design will be the responsibility of the Viana do Castelo Polytechnic Institute (IPVC), with an investment of €123,000, while Sustemare – Centre for Technology and Innovation in Ocean Energies and Technologies, headquartered at the Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão (ESTG), will allocate €1,098,587.06 for equipment and project revision.
The cooperation protocol, unanimously approved at an ordinary meeting of the municipal executive, “has as its object to establish the framework of cooperation between the parties, namely regarding the construction of the physical infrastructure, the governance model, the development of scientific, technological and innovation activities, knowledge transfer and financial and operational sustainability.”
The center will be implanted on IPVC land, by establishing a surface right in favor of the City Council, for a period of 30 years.
The protocol notes that the “Municipality of Viana do Castelo promotes territorial, economic, scientific and technological development, notably through the creation of research and innovation infrastructures,” the Sustemare Association “promotes research, technological development and knowledge transfer in areas of strategic relevance for the region and IPVC, while IPVC, as a higher education institution, possesses scientific competences, infrastructures and human resources that can contribute to the center’s success.”
“The construction of the building is an essential but integrative component of a broader set of actions, including governance, human resources, operation, financial sustainability and coordination with Norte 2030.”
The infrastructure to be built corresponds to a two-storey building, with a gross floor area above ground of about 2,811 square meters, including rooms, offices, laboratories, restrooms and open-space areas.
After the completion of the construction work, the City Council of Viana do Castelo “will transfer the management of the building to Sustemare, for the term of the surface right, for the purposes provided in this protocol, in accordance with the statutes of Sustemare and with the provisions of the Norte2030 application, without any additional burden for the latter.”
Councillor Joana Ranhada, representing the three PSD councillors, stressed that “it is precisely this type of investment that can create skilled employment, generate innovation, attract companies and contribute to retaining talent in our municipality.”
“The PSD sees this project as ambitious. But we also understand that ambition must always go hand in hand with rigor and transparency,” she said.
The Chega councillor supports the construction of the center, but questioned the value of the investment.
The President of the Viana do Castelo City Council, Luís Nobre (PS), stated that “if there is no European funding he will forgo other works in the city to have the center carried out.”
