Algarve wants autonomous port authority
Considering the fact that the Algarve is a huge piece of seaside, you’d think they have their ports completely under control, but weirdly enough the Algarve is the only region in Portugal without its own autonomous port authority.
The Algarve ports lost their autonomy after the creation of the port and Maritime Transport Institute – MTI – in 2002, in effect taking the decision-making process away from the place that would be most affected, the Algarve region.
Regional administrations were created in 2008 for the ports of Figueira da Foz and Viana do Casteloe in order to free the MTI – the Douro/Leixoes, Aveiro, Lisbon, Setubal/Sesimbra and Sines ports were already managed independently.
But even so, the Algarve had nothing to say in regards to these independent administrations which made it the only region not in control of any of its own twelve fishing ports, three commercial ports, four marinas and six recreational ports.
For a while now there have been various individuals who have said that the MTI hasn’t been giving enough importance to the regional port management which in turn has prevented the Algarve ports to receive much-needed investments. This has also lead to a lack of improvements in terms of maritime accessibility and the connections with other means of transport have also been neglected.
The workers of the Algarve ports have issue a document stating their views on the subject as well, saying that it is quite incomprehensible how the region of the Algarve, with the maritime capabilities at its disposal, doesn’t have any say in how those affairs are conducted.
They also emphasized that the ports are an important part of the Algarve’s economy and a sector which can still see growth for a long time.
It remains to be seen whether or not some measures will be taken as a direct result of the various official channels that have been used to solve this conundrum.
