In the middle of the bay there is a small peninsula, it connection to the mainland serves as a parking space for campers and it has sandy beach.

[2][3] The triangular Venetian fortress built on the Channel of Vivari in Butrint is said to have served as a model for Porto Palermo.

[6] The facility was primarily used to control the local population in the greater Himarë area, who had repeatedly revolted against the Turks.

The base is practically unused today, but is still owned by the navy, which has two small patrol boats stationed there, and is therefore a restricted military area.

After the establishment of the Warsaw Pact in 1955, of which Albania was a founding member, the Soviet Union stationed twelve of the Whiskey-class submarines in the Pasha Liman Base at the southwest end of the bay of Vlora.

[9] Albania then leaned on China, and with Chinese help one began in the late 1960s with the construction of the submarine tunnel in Porto Palermo.