About Us

Following the Portugal Náutico project developed by the Portuguese Business Association in cooperation with Fórum Oceano, the Portugal Náutico Promotion Group was created, which aims to boost the nautical tourism sector. In this context, it has moved forward with the development, promotion, and certification of Nautical Stations in Portugal.

Recognizing Portugal's potential in the area of nautical tourism and taking the experiences of France and Spain as an example, regulations were drawn up for the certification of Nautical Stations in Portugal (ENP), which benefited from the framework provided by FEDETON - European Federation of Nautical Destinations, the managing body of the international network of nautical stations, of which Fórum Oceano has been a member since 2016.

The ENP Network currently has 36 certified ENPs, located on the coast and inland. As a whole, the certified ENPs involve 823 partners, most of which are companies - 509 - representing 62% of the total, 50 municipalities, 3 intermunicipal communities, and 261 associations and local entities involved in recreational boating and nautical tourism.

The Central Region leads the number of certified ENPs with 8 ENPs, involving 337 partners, which corresponds to about 41% of the total number of partners in the Network. This is followed by the North Region, with 5 ENPs and 15% of the total number of partners, the Algarve Region with 4 ENPs and 26% of the total number of partners, the Alentejo Region with 4 ENPs and 13% of the total number of partners, and finally the Lisbon Region with 2 ENPs and 5% of the partners.

By category of water plans used, although coastal ENPs are the most numerous (16), there are 5 inland water ENPs and 2 mixed coastal/inland ENPs. In inland waters, the Alentejo Region leads with 3 ENPs, while the other 2 are located in the North Region and the Central Region.

Find out more about the ENP application and certification process at www.forumoceano.pt.

This process involves the Ministry of the Sea, through the DGPM, the Secretary of State for Tourism, through Turismo de Portugal, the Ministry of Education, through the DGE, and the Secretary of State for the Interior.