Construction work on Phase II of the reconstruction of the port of Omiš, worth €10.8 million, has officially begun. The implementation of works will turn an unfurnished shore segment stretching from one end of Fošal to Skalica Way, with massive stone blocks and improvised piers, into an exemplary town port.
The contractor TEXO MOLIOR Ltd. has received the notice to proceed with construction, marking the start of works on Phase II of the reconstruction of the port of Omiš. The value of Phase II is €10.8 million including VAT. The sources used to finance the project are the Cohesion Fund and the State budget – through the Operational Programme “Competitiveness and Cohesion” – as well as the budget of the County of Split-Dalmatia Port authority.
Most of the work is centred around the construction of the 300 meter mooring shore. It will provide the space for 70 nautical berths and 60 spaces reserved for local residents. The shore construction includes the rehabilitation and expansion of the waterfront, as well as the expansion of the shoreside road, providing the space for a 10-meter wide promenade and greenery along the quay wall. This port project is therefore also a landscaping intervention. It will implement the kind of horticultural design in Omiš that was recently seen on the West Coast in Split.
Nonetheless, the greatest advantage of the new port will be its fitness to receive coastal passenger liners. The conditions for the mooring of passenger vessels will be realized by extending the existing pier by approximately 36 meters and backfilling a new breakwater to protect ships at berth. The added port infrastructure will serve to introduce a new regular shipping line Omiš – Postira, establishing a reliable connection with Brač.
The benefits of a larger and better equipped port
In the coming three-and-a-half years. the old port of Omiš will expand to the coastal belt from the existing pier (eastern end of Fošal Street) in a southeast direction to Skalica Way. Momentarily, this part of the shore is frequented only by sports boats owners, using improvised piers for mooring. Once the dust has settled, the port of Omiš will have 745 m of mooring shore at its disposal inside the protected basin and a further 280 m of mooring shore on the outside of the breakwater. The fact that helps illustrate the scope of the project is that the shoreside port area will be increased by a factor of 8, from about 1.250 sq. m to almost 10.000 sq. m.
Lastly, establishing a new line between Omiš and Postire will allow the inhabitants of the Omiš littoral and hinterland to work in towns on the eastern part of the island of Brač, and improve access to education, cultural and social events in the region. This is why the County of Split-Dalmatia Port authority is hopeful that the works will be allowed to proceed throughout the tourist season, so the port upgrade can be brought to a close as soon as possible.