Africa-Press – Cape verde. The next ships to enter national maritime transport routes must be built from scratch in a shipyard in Greece and must be ready within 12 months, as the Minister of the Sea announced to Inforpres.
Abraão Vicente made the announcement in an interview with the Cabo Verdean News Agency, in Mindelo, and which had as its central theme the State Budget for 2024, a document which, according to the same source, does not include the amount of around 20 million euros for the purchase of two ships for inter-island transport.
However, according to the same source, the contract is already being finalized with a naval shipyard in Greece, which is expected to build the two vessels from scratch.
The decision, he highlighted, was taken after the technical teams had made several trips for expertise and possible purchase of ships and when it was concluded that the semi-new boats available for sale did not fit into the waters of Cape Verde.
“We could buy three ships that were more or less, but the expert opinion shows that at least two of these ships were already rebuilt and one of them was not adapted to three of our ports”, he explained, adding that the price of these boats reached 60% the costs of a new ship.
So, the Government, according to the same source, received a proposal from a shipyard in Greece and, after all the expertise, we are now in the phase of concluding the construction contract for these, which should take place within 12 months, that is, If the contract is signed, they could arrive in Cape Verde at the end of next year, he assured.
Therefore, says Abraão Vicente, only two boats should be brought, and not the four previously announced, which in principle would be semi-new.
The new vessels, according to the official, will have capacity for 450 passengers and around 200 vehicles with an “absolutely good finish” and will allow all Cape Verde lines to be joined “with some security and some predictability”.
The Minister of the Sea stated that within days or weeks the signing of the contract will be announced, in which 4% of the total 20 million euros will be released.
On the other hand, he said that they have already received guarantees from the Greek State that the shipyard is serious and has a history of construction, and that it will build Cape Verdean boats “with comfort and safety”.
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