AZORES | Berta Cabral announces that vessel “Ponta do Sol” will start operating on Flores Island next week

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, announced today in Ponta Delgada that the vessel “Ponta do Sol”, owned by Transinsular, will begin operating on the island of Flores already next week.

“The vessel ‘Monte Brasil’ has already left Leixões and will attempt to supply the island of Flores next Saturday. However, if the weather conditions are unfavourable, the cargo will remain at the Ponta Delgada port. The vessel “Ponta do Sol” will begin the operations to supply the island of Flores next week,” said Berta Cabral to journalists at the end of a working meeting with the member of the Azorean Parliament representing the PPM party, Paulo Estevão.

Meanwhile, the vessel “Thor,” which supplies the islands of Faial, Flores and Corvo, will always be available to carry the most perishable and essential goods. This will be a possibility on scheduled voyages but also on non-scheduled voyages, whenever necessary.

“We have several instruments and tools to solve the supply of Flores. After a major storm [Hurricane Lorenzo], which caused serious damage to that port infrastructure, the Efrain depression further aggravated the situation. Nevertheless, we have not had any problems and we remain very attentive, using all means at our disposal to get goods to Flores,” she said.

In this regard, Berta Cabral stated that the Regional Government is expecting, next week, the submission of a project for an intervention to reinforce the emergency protection of the quay that suffered further damage after the Efrain depression.

“We need to take action and reinforce the emergency protection of the quay so that we may guarantee the regular supply of Flores Island until the final works planned for that port infrastructure are carried out,” she stressed.

The launch of the respective tender, as Berta Cabral added, will begin at the end of the first half of 2022.

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU