Tender for chartering vessel to supply Flores has been deserted; Government to immediately launch new procedure - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures has announced that the international public tender, with a base price of €5.9 million, for the chartering of a vessel to ensure regular supplies to the island of Flores, was unsuccessful.

The deadline for submitting proposals expired on June 18, with no proposals having been received. In light of this situation, the Regional Government will proceed with determination and urgency by immediately launching a new tender procedure and introducing adjustments to enhance its competitiveness and appeal to market operators.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, pointed out that “ensuring a regular supply to Flores is a priority for the Azorean Government, representing a direct commitment to the local population, the local economy and the territorial cohesion of the Region.”

This measure falls within a broader and consistent strategy pursued by the Regional Government to ensure resilient logistics chains, particularly on the Western Group islands, where geographical and infrastructural constraints necessitate permanent and reliable solutions.

It is important to recall that the severe impacts of Hurricane Lorenzo in 2019, and subsequently of Depression Efrain, significantly compromised the operational capacity of the Lajes das Flores Port, disrupting the frequency of maritime supplies and posing additional challenges to the local economy and the daily lives of the population.

It was in this challenging context that the Regional Government, through the Regional Cohesion and Economic Development Fund and following a Government Council resolution, launched this tender, with a view to ensuring an effective and continuous solution for the transport of essential goods.

According to Berta Cabral, “this service must continue to be provided as a top priority whilst the renovation and upgrading of the port infrastructure in Lajes das Flores are underway, seeing that it ensures equitable access to essential goods and the full integration of the Western Group islands into the regional economy.”