PRAIA DA VITORIA HARBOUR (AZORES) DAMAGES IN THE BREAKWATER DUE TO THE STORM OF 26th - 27th DECEMBER, 1962

Praia da Vitoria is a harbour in the eastern coast of Ter ceira, in Azores Islands. These lie in the Nortern Atlantic,bet ween 36 55' and 39 1+3' north latitude and between 26 1+6'and 31 16' west of Greenwich longitude. Terceira island belongs to the central group of islands (fig.l). The port facilities in Praia da Vitoria harbour were con - structed with the main purpose of enabling the unloading of liquid fuels, however intense the swell at the entrance of the harbour. The maritime structures include a rubble mound breakwa ter about 600 m long, rooted at Ponta do Espirito Santo, and an unloading system, independent from the breakwater and made up of a central hose-handling pier, where tankers can berth, anc dolphins to take the mooring lines of the ships. The hose-han - dling platform and the dolphins are connected with one another and with the shore by means of footbridges (figs. 1 and 3).