Ayesa Engineering wins Bentley Systems’ 2026 Year in Infrastructure Award for Metro do Porto’s Metro 3.0 project

The Metro 3.0 project reinforces the company’s global leadership in digital engineering and sustainability, winning the Bridges and Tunnels category against other leading infrastructure projects. 

Also recognising Metro do Porto’s vision and commitment to BIM methodologies and digital engineering in the development of innovative and sustainable infrastructure, through work carried out in close collaboration with Metro do Porto. 

9th October 2026. Ayesa Engineering has been recognised with a 2026 Year in Infrastructure (YII) Award from Bentley Systems for its Metro do Porto’s Metro 3.0 project, which won the award in the Bridges and Tunnels category. The award recognises the company’s ability to apply digital engineering and innovative solutions to the development of complex and sustainable transport infrastructure, through work carried out in close collaboration with Metro do Porto. 

With more than two decades of history and 5,500 projects assessed globally, Bentley Systems’ Year in Infrastructure Awards represent one of the industry’s leading international benchmarks for digital advancement and innovation in infrastructure. Projects are evaluated by independent juries of industry experts, who rigorously assess digital maturity and its tangible impact on efficiency, cost reduction, resilience and sustainability. The 2026 edition received more than 300 entries from 53 countries. 

Ayesa Engineering’s Metro 3.0 submission competed in the Bridges and Tunnels category alongside projects including the Praha–Beroun railway tunnel, the longest railway tunnel in the Czech Republic, and Parsons’ Talmadge Memorial Bridge in the United States. 

With this recognition, Porto metro joins the ranks of major infrastructure projects recognised by Bentley, including modern engineering landmarks such as London’s Thames Tideway Tunnel, Sydney Airport, Toronto’s Ontario Line metro project, the Seine-Nord Europe Canal, the Beijing–Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and the digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. 

Technical excellence and measurable impact 

The award recognises the pioneering implementation of a connected digital ecosystem bringing together BIM methodologies, advanced geotechnical analysis and modelling, geospatial mapping, Bentley’s digital twin environment and proprietary artificial intelligence solutions developed in-house by Ayesa Engineering. 

For Metro Porto 3.0, the company implemented an optimised digital tunnel design methodology combining its own AI-powered Geotechnical Application with Bentley’s most advanced software for 3D geological modelling, BIM, and geotechnical and tunnel analysis. This approach is supported by a range of technologies and tools that have been developed and integrated over the past three years. 

Metro do Porto 3.0 is the project to expand Porto’s light rail network, planned for 2030, involving an investment of more than €1 billion to add approximately 40 kilometres of track and 38 new stations. The project, whose engineering design is being led by Ayesa Engineering, will transform mobility across the metropolitan region through the creation of four new lines (Gondomar II, São Mamede, ISMAI-Muro-Trofa and Maia II), providing more efficient connections between key municipalities, the city centre and existing transport infrastructure. 

This achievement builds on Ayesa Engineering’s strong international track record in transport and mobility. The company has extensive experience in the planning, integrated design, supervision and digitalisation of major rail networks, high-speed rail lines, tramways and metro systems across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. 

It also demonstrates how digitalisation, innovation and artificial intelligence are creating tangible impact in the way infrastructure projects are designed and delivered. 

Cate Lochead, Chief Marketing Officer at Bentley Systems, said: “Every year, our users impress us with incredible projects that advance the world’s infrastructure. This year’s finalists went well beyond digitalizing traditional workflows. By connecting data across lifecycle phases and engineering disciplines, they used AI to unlock potential that was previously out of reach. That new cycle of AI-enabled innovation requires an open ecosystem, where infrastructure professionals can connect their data and preferred software to make better, faster decisions. Bentley enables that openness, giving engineers the freedom to solve complex challenges faster and build a more resilient, sustainable future.” 

Claudio Cabral Dias, Head of Ground Engineering at Ayesa Engineering, said:  “It is a fantastic recognition of the work the entire team has carried out on the project and, in particular, of our efforts to drive innovation and digital transformation in infrastructure. It is also a recognition of Metro do Porto’s vision and commitment to BIM and digital engineering methodologies, which were fundamental in creating the necessary conditions for the implementation of these solutions and for jointly developing new ways of working. This award reflects the significant effort and dedication of our Ground Engineering team. Over the past few years, we have been committed to continuously improving our workflows and developing new technologies and methodologies that enable us to be more efficient and competitive, while continuing to deliver projects of the highest quality for our clients.”