Portuguese company Mota-Engil has signed a contract worth €207.3 million for the construction of the first phase of the Chinese company CALB's gigafactory in Sines, a project that strengthens industrial co-operation between Portugal and China.

According to information communicated to the Securities Market Commission, the contract has an estimated duration of 22 months and covers an intervention area of approximately 17 hectares, with a construction area of around 62,000 square metres. The project includes the execution of building structures, technical installations, assembly of industrial equipment and associated cabling systems.

Based in Changzhou, CALB is preparing to begin construction of the unit later this year. The future lithium-ion battery factory, located on the Alentejo coast, is part of the European strategy for energy transition and electric mobility.

The project is expected to create around 1,800 direct jobs and will have a significant impact on the national economy. At full capacity, the unit could represent more than 4% of Portuguese GDP, helping to position Portugal as an important link in the European battery value chain.

(Source: Eco, on 25 May)