By Sea

The principal approaches to the Port are as follows:

By day - vessels coming from the north should steer clear of the Orça rock, located 130m outside the North Mole at latitude 41º10'37" and pass to the South of the breakwater beacon.

By night - vessels heading for the port must be guided by the lights of the breakwater beacon and thenceforward by the lights of the lighthouse located at the heads of the North and South Moles, keeping the lighthouse and Leça half way between them.

The width of the entrance channel to the port, between the heads of the breakwater, is 220 metres.

In the foreport the channel widens to 500 metres at 240 metres from the entrance and then narrows again to the entrance to Dock 1, which is 113 metres.

The width of the entrance to Dock 2 is 58 metres.

Pilotage is compulsory for entry and leaving, with the exception of coastal vessels and national flag craft up to 500 GT, coastal and local fishing vessels and pleasure craft.

Pilotage is permanently provided by the Port Authority.

By Land

At the confluence of important international routes, and only 5km from the Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport, the Port of Leixões is situated in a zone of high industrial and population density.

Regarding road transport the Port of Leixões is connected with the long-distance trunk roads IP 1 and IP 4 and with the motorway-standard highways IC1/A28, IC 23 and A41.

As far as the railway transport is concerned the port is connected to Portugal's general rail network by the Leixões circular line. This connection is made via the Contumil and Campanhã junction.