PORTUGAL – “Construir” Awards 2026

COBA’s excellence is driven by people. By talent. By extraordinary teams.

The achievement of the Engineering Consultancy Firm of the Year and Engineering – Construction Supervision and Coordination (Algarve Railway Line Electrification Project) awards at the “Construir” Awards 2026 is a recognition of the dedication, expertise, and passion of the people who make COBA’s success possible every day.

Behind every award-winning project are professionals who believe that engineering has the power to transform communities, create value, and deliver lasting impact. It is this collective commitment, grounded in technical excellence, innovation, and an unwavering focus on quality, that continues to establish COBA as a leading engineering consultancy in Portugal and internationally.

Congratulations to all our teams. This achievement belongs to you.

Lx, 12 Oct 2026

SOUTH KOREA – COBA Group Honoured at the ICPMA Awards 2026

It is with great pride that we announce that COBA Group has been presented with the ICPMA Award 2026 – Engineering, Technical Stakeholder & Risk Management for the Project of Lot 2 of the Lisbon Metro Yellow and Green Line Extension, between the Santos and Cais do Sodré stations.

The award, granted by the International Construction Project Management Association (ICPMA), recognizes projects that demonstrate excellence in construction project management, highlighting achievements in areas such as innovation, collaboration, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and the quality of project delivery processes.

This distinction represents an important recognition of COBA’s contribution to a project of exceptional technical complexity, involving significant engineering challenges, comprehensive risk management, and close coordination among multiple teams and stakeholders.

The award is an international acknowledgment that reinforces our commitment to delivering engineering excellence through innovation, value creation, and the development of more efficient and sustainable infrastructure.

Congratulations to the entire project team, particularly to Gonçalo Mateus and Raúl Pistone for the overall management of the project, and to Sandra Ferreira for the coordination of the geotechnical works, as well as to all professionals and partners who contributed to this achievement.

Watch the award-winning project video.

Lx, 01 Oct 2026

ANGOLA - COBA Group Attends the Inauguration of the Ndúe and Calucuve Dams in Southern Angola

On September 5th, the Ndúe and Calucuve Dams, together with their respective conveyance canals and chimpacas, were officially inaugurated in Cunene Province, during a ceremony presided over by the President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço.

As part of the to Combat the Effects of Drought in Southern Angola (PCESSA), these infrastructures represent a major strategic milestone in strengthening the region’s water security. They will improve access to water for local communities, support agricultural and livestock development, and create favourable conditions for greater economic growth across the region.

The Ndúe and Calucuve Dams, with storage capacities of approximately 170 million m³ and 141 million m³, respectively, are complemented by an extensive network of canals and chimpacas. This network extends for approximately 300 km, including around 200 km of concrete-lined canals and 100 km of unlined canals. Along the canal system, chimpacas have been built, each with a storage capacity of 50,000 m³.

These infrastructures constitute a landmark investment in the sustainable development of southern Angola, directly benefiting tens of thousands of people and significantly enhancing the region’s resilience to the recurrent impacts of drought.

COBA Group is proud to have contributed to the successful delivery of this important undertaking through the preparation of the Preliminary Design and Detailed Design of the Calucuve Dam, as well as the Design Review and Construction Supervision of the Ndúe Dam and its Conveyance Canal, supporting the various stages of development and implementation of these works of great national importance.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by a COBA Group delegation, which had the opportunity to mark this particularly significant achievement for engineering, sustainable water resources management, and the socioeconomic development of Angola.

For COBA Group, participation in projects of this scale is a tangible expression of its commitment to placing engineering expertise, technical knowledge, and experience at the service of solutions that improve people's quality of life, foster regional development, and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future.

Engineering that transforms. Engineering that creates the future.

Lx, 17 Set 2026

PORTUGAL – QUASAR is born: a new force to accelerate the energy transition

We are delighted to announce the creation of QUASAR by COBA and INTERTECHNE, a new company resulting from the strategic partnership between COBA Group and Intertechne, two organisations with a strong track record of excellence in engineering and innovation.

COBA INTERTECHNE Energy Transition, Lda., operating under the commercial brand QUASAR, has a clear mission: to contribute to building a more sustainable, resilient and efficient energy future.

Based in Portugal, QUASAR will operate across three strategic areas that are key to the transformation of the energy sector: Oil & Gas, Intermittent Renewable Energies and Renewable Gases.

The new company combines COBA Group’s more than 60 years of experience in engineering, environmental services and technical consultancy with Intertechne’s recognised international expertise in developing solutions to address the most demanding energy challenges.

More than just a new company, QUASAR represents a platform for innovation, knowledge and international cooperation, ready to support the projects that will shape the next generation of energy infrastructure.

The energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. QUASAR is born to be part of that change.

Lx, 30 Jun 2026

PORTUGAL – 7th fib International Congress

COBA Group participated in the 7th fib International Congress, one of the most relevant global events dedicated to structural engineering and the latest innovations in the construction sector.

Hosted at Culturgest in Lisbon, the congress brought together leading experts, researchers, designers, and companies from around the world to share knowledge, foster innovation, and discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of infrastructure and sustainable construction.

As a Gold Sponsor, COBA was present with a stand at the technical exhibition and delivered several technical presentations. The company also organized a special session dedicated to the ongoing Lisbon Metro projects.

Specialists Gonçalo Mateus, José Alexandre, Rui Vaz Rodrigues and Paulo Soares represented COBA, with the presentation of the following technical papers:

“Overview of the Extension of Metro's Yellow and Green Lines in downtown riverside Lisbon”

“Santos Station – Design solutions, challenges and lessons learned during construction”

“Innovating through experience: the Red Line expansion project”

“Digital Transformation in Bridge Engineering: The Role of BIM and AI”

Alexandre Portugal and Cristina Costa also participated, contributing as panel members in the special session on the Lisbon Metro works, alongside Eva Jerónimo and Febin Naguindás.

We would like to thank everyone who visited our stand and shared experiences, ideas, and perspectives on the future of the sector.

Lx, 25 Jun 2026

PORTUGAL – Ricardo Esquível Teixeira Duarte Award

COBA was granted the Ricardo Esquível Teixeira Duarte Award for the 2023–2024 biennium, granted by the Portuguese Geotechnical Society, for the project “Extension of the Lisbon Metro between Santos Station and the Cais do Sodré terminus. Santos Station – Excavations, Retaining Structures and Primary Support.” The project, led by COBA, was developed in association with JetSJ for the METRO SANTOS SODRÉ ACE consortium (Mota-Engil and Spie Batignolles).

Established in 2017 by the Portuguese Geotechnical Society (SPG), the Ricardo Esquível Teixeira Duarte Award recognizes outstanding engineering projects or solutions in the field of geotechnical engineering, distinguished by their innovation, complexity, and relevance.

This distinction highlights the work carried out in a technically highly demanding geotechnical project, acknowledging the contribution of the adopted solutions for excavations, retaining systems, and primary support at Santos Station, within a particularly challenging urban environment.

Lx, 23 Jun 2026

PORTUGAL – Eng. Victor Carneiro Interviewed by APPC.

A prominent figure in Portuguese engineering and recipient of the CONSTRUIR Career Award 2025, Eng. Victor Carneiro has played a key role in the development of the sector, particularly through a long-standing association with COBA and by contributing to the company’s international expansion.

He served as President of APPC (Portuguese Association of Engineering and Management Consultants) for the longest tenure in its history (2007–2019) and is currently an honorary member of the association. With a career marked by international experience, bold vision, and collaborative spirit, this interview offers reflections on personal and professional milestones, as well as key challenges facing the future of engineering - including the need to promote quality, foster generational renewal, and strengthen cultural awareness in an increasingly global context.

Read the APPC interview here

Lx, 03 Feb 2026