Future vision: after the construction of the port of Sventoji, Palanga is part of the stepfather

Warns against caution

In mid-March this year, a contract was signed for the construction of fishing infrastructure, which paved the way for the first reconstruction works of the Sventoji seaport.

By the end of June, you can already see that something is happening in this area.

Huge awnings have been hung on the fences overlooking the future harbor, and there is no shortage of warnings to protect against vacationers while the works are carried out.

As stated by the municipality of the city of Palanga in the report after the signing of the contract, “The reconstruction of the Šventoji seaport is important not only for the residents of the resort, local and foreign guests, but also for representatives of the tourism businesses, boating enthusiasts and, of course, coastal areas. fishermen. “

It was from the creation of the infrastructure for them that the reconstruction of the port began.

Vaidas Šimaitis, a member of the Palanga Council and a well-known coastal businessman, does not hide his ambitions for the port to be in Šventoji.

“I think that after the construction of the port, there will be someone whose stepdaughter will be, if we laugh,” he laughs, recalling the popular myth that Šventoji Palanga is like a stepdaughter.

However, no one shares the promises that this corner of the Saint will soon be revived with an invisible force.

The municipality sees itself as an engine

Only after signing the contract in the spring, the mayor of Palanga Šarūnas Vaitkus spoke about the fact that he is pleased that the initiative to rebuild the port has the support of the Government and the ministries.

However, in previous interviews, he did not hide that it would not be easy.

“The port of Šventoji is a strategic object owned by the municipality under the state property right. You don’t have to worry only about the municipality. The municipality is like an engine to continue with the projects that have been carried out – a detailed plan has been completed, more than one hundred thousand euros have been paid, a technical project – more than one hundred thousand euros, it wants not to lie in the ministries drawers and not be forgotten.

I think with the construction of the port, there will be a little girl whose stepdaughter will be, if we are kidding.

If the state decided to spend and invest in rebuilding the port of Sventoji, we must be that engine. We also need to talk to the government about how we can finance the port. That’s the part we had, ”the mayor said in February this year.

V.Šimaitis also talks about the fact that this is a great job that has finally started.

According to him, there was soon criticism that reiterated the need to start the construction of the port from the dock, however, the opportunity to use the money of the European Union could not be missed.

The fishermen are disappearing

With the signing of the contract, the contractors committed to ordering and lengthening the pier by a year and a half (until September 2022), installing a ramp to help fishermen lower their boats into the water, as well as a winch to unload their captures. fishing equipment and boats.

A building will also be built to store fishing boats, fishing equipment and catches.

It is also planned to rebuild the Prieplaukos street leading to the Sventoji seaport.

There will also be a 50-space car park where fishermen will be able to store not only their cars but also their trailers.

The fishermen are disappearing, the young people no longer want to. Especially when they took the main bread: cod.

After the implementation of this stage of construction of the port, not only will all the necessary infrastructure for the fishermen be installed, but also the territory of the port will be organized and sown.

When asked how he is with the fishermen on the beach, V. Šimaitis does not hide:

“The fishermen are disappearing, the young people no longer want to. Especially when they were deprived of their main bread, cod. “

However, fishermen are resourceful people, so they look for other opportunities.

For example, to offer recreational fishing to tourists, in that sense, the port of Šventoji, according to V.Šimaiitis, should flourish.

What is being done next? There was also a meeting with the SVECO designers, who are now looking for opportunities to find money to change the part of the project that was made for the concrete piers, to turn the concrete into boulders. We spoke with representatives of Danish and German companies, we had come to the mayor, and they calculated that 40 million. The amount can be reduced to 17-20 million euros.

This is not the final amount, it is still being watched, because it was calculated that a 3.5m breakwater is needed both in Klaipeda and here. Now it will be increased to 5.5m in Klaipeda, so after the study it would be clear how much will be needed here, ”said V.Šimaitis.

It will change the vision of the whole Saint

The businessman who implemented the Elijah project in Šventoji and built the village of Curonian is sure that the port would fundamentally change the whole vision of Šventoji.

Therefore, in preparation for this, the part of Šventoji’s overall plan is currently being changed, which aims to predict how the settlement will develop in the future.

For example, there is no shortage of cabins on Jūros Street that often stick to paint, and the city would like to see hotels here.

Read more here: Šventoji wants hotels instead of old country houses: some are simply “in the paint”.

“When we have a port, you will see how everything will change from here to Elijah”, is convinced V. Šimaitis. – I’m sure the port will be. It was a long time before we took over. “

We couldn’t do anything because the port belonged to the State Seaport. We agree to take the risk, maybe we get into the hump if nothing fails.

V.Šimaitis remembers that in 2017. After becoming president of the network of local action groups of the fishing regions of Lithuania, he discovered the opportunity to see how much additional money there is; Let’s say there were 2.2 million in the funds of a ministry. euros, which are intended for various projects, all they need to do is use them.

“It turned out that we couldn’t do anything, because the port belonged to the State Seaport. Then we discussed with the mayor, other fellow politicians, there were a lot of those thoughts, but we decided that the port should be returned to the city. We agreed: let’s take a chance, maybe we will get in the backpack if nothing fails. This is how we succeeded. During the year we arranged for the port to return to Palanga. There was the first opportunity to start moving with “fishermen’s money”.

And when you start to move, a variety of considerations arise. For example, the national defense system receives funds for infrastructure, they need to have ships at the border. So why not give up on the North Pier? Būtingė himself (Būtingė oil terminal – past ed.) He may not need to tow the ship to Klaipėda, but could keep it here, Būtingė himself can contribute. And those opportunities arise.

The European Union dedicates a lot to energy sources. We may be thinking, and we have already made such considerations to scientists, that we could be building a dock in the north that would generate electricity and streamline our currents. We are looking for an opportunity to build the south pier using the money allocated for the needs of society – to secure the beaches, because they would really catch the sand. So, through environmental programs, the Ministry of the Environment. So when you search, there are many such opportunities. When you are not looking, it is nothing “, – assures V.Šimaitis.

On the other side of the now visible quay, where Šventoji port used to be, there are several commercial plots.

According to V.Šimaiitis, hotels should be built there; At least one project has already been submitted.

After the implementation of the construction infrastructure development stage, the next pending stage of the reconstruction of the Sventoji seaport is the construction of docks.