Investments in Horta Port aimed to improve operational conditions, says Vítor Fraga
The Regional Secretary for Transport and Public Works stated today that the investments made in Horta Port "have been tested in small scale or mathematical models to assess their characteristics." They were primarily intended to "improve the operational and safety conditions of the port."
"There are several aspects in the port where these improvements are recognised and significant," said Vítor Fraga. The government official spoke after being heard by the Committee on Economic Affairs of the Legislative Assembly on a draft resolution recommending the Regional Government to request the services of the National Civil Engineering Laboratory to carry out a technical audit to the works of the new passenger pier and the jetty of Horta Port.
The Secretary for Public Works pointed out, among other things, the passenger terminal. According to him, "passenger transport on the 'Triângulo' islands (Faial, Pico and São Jorge) is a reality with inevitable success" as well as cruise calls insofar as statistics show that "the overwhelming majority of them call at Horta passenger terminal; the number of cruises that eventually anchor off the port is very small, that is, the infrastructure provides a full response."
Regarding the new investment planned for Horta Port, Vítor Fraga stressed that it is a "very important" investment to "increase the operational and safety conditions of the port, in a permanent search for continuous improvement of the infrastructure that the Government of the Azores carrying over the years."
The Regional Secretary recalled that, since 1996, "we have already invested more than 400 million euros in the port infrastructure". In the case of the Port of Horta, "this was an investment of about 70 million Euros, which clearly demonstrates this concern to invest not just for investing but to achieve the results we propose, " ensuring" the improvement of operational conditions and safety of infrastructures."
Vítor Fraga said "it is necessary to move forward with the project that is being completed, review it under the new investment and launch the work so that it may become a reality that will benefit all Faial islanders," which is what we intend."