Berta Cabral presents findings of Study on Maritime Freight Transport in the Azores to sectoral partners - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, has already presented the findings of the Independent Specialised Commission regarding the study on maritime freight transport in the Region to various sectoral partners.

The study was completed in 2023 and was immediately submitted to the Independent Specialised Commission. However, the political crisis that led the Azorean Government to remain in office as a caretaker Government and the subsequent call for early elections contributed to the long hiatus before the study and the commission's report was presented to the various sectoral partners.

On Wednesday, the Regional Secretary, Berta Cabral, together with Dr João Carvalho and Ribeiro Pinto (Engineer), members of the Independent Specialised Commission, presented the findings of both documents to the chambers of commerce of the Azores and the port operators in the Region.

After analysing the study, the members of the Commission, led by João Carvalho, former President of the Institute for Mobility and Transport, stressed the importance of overcoming some existing restrictions on local traffic operations; increasing the efficiency of the entire system, particularly in port operations and costs; and reinforcing the means and equipment available in regional port infrastructures.

The members of the Commission agree as a whole with the findings of the study. They stress the need to promote a progressive evolution of the model, moving between the various scenarios identified in the study, so as to consolidate a solid model that guarantees weekly supply routes to all the islands, the operation of local traffic vessels between Mainland Portugal ports and the Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitória ports, as well as adequate coordination between inter-island and local traffic.

Weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of each model presented in the study, the Independent Technical Commission pointed out that those that seem most advantageous and feasible in the short/medium term are a weekly stopover on all the islands, contributing to territorial and social cohesion between the various islands of the Azores and increased links between the Azores and Mainland Portugal. These will increase the supply available to various economic agents and, in particular, the placement of fresh or chilled products in Mainland Portugal at the end of the week, contributing to the greater competitiveness of some regional export industries.

Berta Cabral pointed out the need to ensure that "the evolution of the process must be based on continuous improvement, without disruption, with a gradual, rational and safe change that does not jeopardise supplies to any island in the Azores at any time."

The Regional Secretary revealed that work is already underway with local traffic shipowners to guarantee weekly routes to the islands of Santa Maria and Graciosa as well as promote closer coordination with local traffic shipowners to streamline operations and ensure the provision of direct freight.

"There is still a way to go and work to be done but this is what we need: a gradual and tangible evolution, which includes imports and increasingly exports that already have a significant volume. In this regard, SIFROTA is an important tool, which is already bearing fruit. It has already allowed a vessel to enter the local traffic system with the possibility of transporting containers. The fleet will naturally evolve and strengthen the system along with our domestic market," she reiterated.

She added: "This whole ecosystem is based - and has to be based - on promoting territorial cohesion and regional solidarity, just as there is national solidarity with the Azores and European Union solidarity with the country and the Region."