Maritime Transport – State has already paid more than 427 billion escudos to CVI

For this reason, in the exercise of its attributions, the DNPM notified the CVI demanding the restoration of the service, applying the appropriate coercive measures, foreseen in the concession contract and in the applicable legal framework.

The National Directorate for the Policy of the Sea (DNPM), as the sector's regulatory body, produced a press release this afternoon to clarify the public and users, taking stock of the status of the concession for passenger and international cargo maritime transport. islands, given the evidence of a deficit public service, where it informs Cape Verdeans that the state has already paid more than 427 million escudos to the CVI of a recognized debt, in December 2022, in the amount of 581,275,085$00.

In full, the Press Release:

“Following the latest events related to inter-island maritime connections, showing public service at a deficient level, the National Directorate for Sea Policy (DNPM), as the sector’s regulatory body, understands that it is necessary to provide some clarifications additional information to the public and users on the status of inter-island passenger and cargo maritime transport concessions.

Since January 2023, the public inter-island maritime transport service provided within the scope of the concession established with CV INTERILHAS, SA (CVI), has been provided with only 2 ships – CHIQUINHO, on the SV-SA line and DONA TUTUTA, on the remaining islands. The DNPM recognizes that this is a critical situation, due to the service deficit it represents, with constant non-compliance and schedule changes.

The concessionaire alleges financial and operational reasons for the ships excluded from the fleet. It is up to the company to make greater scrutiny of these reasons. However, the DNPM is aware that the public subsidy for the imposition of the maritime transport service reached high values, much higher than expected, in the first 3 years of the operation, for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic, consequent closing of borders , limitations imposed on passenger transport and stagnation of the economy, followed by the galloping increase in fuel prices, conditioning the payment capacity of the State of CV, on the one hand, and CVI's treasury, on the other. In this sense, every effort has been made to normalize the debt with the concessionaire, having settled, to this date, the amount of 427,827,628$00, referring to the debt recognized, in December 2022, in the amount of 581,275 .085$00.

Notwithstanding the understanding above, we consider the level of service provided since the beginning of the year to be unjustifiable. For this reason, in the exercise of its attributions, the DNPM notified the CVI demanding the restoration of the service, applying the appropriate coercive measures, foreseen in the concession contract and in the applicable legal framework. On the other hand, the team responsible for reviewing the concession contract, led by the Ministry of Finance, has been working hard to complete the process, which includes the implementation of a new operating model that guarantees an efficient and regular public maritime transport service. , supported by a sustainable financial model.

This process is expected to be completed over the next few days.”

This concludes the Note, already sent to the Press this afternoon.