MP Francisco Gomes Demands Maritime Connection During October 2025 Budget Hearing
During a parliamentary hearing with the Minister of Infrastructure today, Francisco Gomes from Chega-Madeira demanded that the government launch an international tender to ensure regular passenger and roll-on/roll-off cargo ferry services between Madeira and mainland Portugal. Gomes emphasized that The Portuguese State must ensure regions like Madeira remain connected and integrated.
For more than a decade, successive governments promised to launch this tender and nothing happened. The people of Madeira were deceived by promises, misleading campaigns and empty announcements.
Francisco Gomes, Diário de NotÃcias Madeira
He argued that it is now time for concrete action rather than further delays or political maneuvering.
Chega Proposals to Restore Maritime Link Were Rejected by Authorities
The MP highlighted that Chega had submitted three proposals to re-establish the ferry service, all of which were rejected. He insisted:
Chega demands a concrete date for the launch of the international tender. If the government says it will comply, then let it comply – without maneuvers.
Maritime Connection Seen as Vital for Economy, Mobility, and Sovereignty
Francisco Gomes concluded by stressing the broader importance of the ferry service, describing it as strategic for the regional economy, daily mobility of residents, and Portugal’s Atlantic sovereignty. Other political players had previously called for the ferry to be reinstated:
It is not understandable how the Regional Government pushes this decision of such importance to our companies and our citizens to the Republic, which in fact has been a demand of Madeirans and Porto-Santenses since 2019, the date on which Empresa de Navegação Madeiran stopped carrying out this maritime connection activity between the region and the continent
Paulo Cafôfo (Partido Socialista), Diário de NotÃcias da Madeira, June 2024
Ferry Existed Previously But Was Not Profitable
This service had been operational twice in the past, from 2008 to 2012 and again from 2018 to 2019 but was eventually discontinued due to unprofitability. The losses were attributed to low demand, with only 1 in 25 people traveling to the mainland choosing the ferry over plane travel.
Source: Diário de NotÃcias Madeira
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