Catamarans begin to link Luanda to Mussulo in the festive season

The announcement was made by the Minister of Transport, Ricardo d'Abreu, after the delivery ceremony of the two catamarans that were built by China Sonangol, linked to the former vice-president and boss of Sonangol Manuel Vicente, and recently recovered, along with other vessels, through a credit compensation mechanism, since the group has not settled the debt with the oil company.

Among the assets recovered are six catamarans that Sonangol President Gaspar Martins said were transferred to the Ministry of Transport, because "this ministerial department is in a better position to put them at the service of the population".

Ricardo d'Abreu told journalists that there are already plans for the catamarans, which should enter service in this festive season, ensuring crossings between Luanda and Mussulo island, an area currently served only by precarious vessels.

The vessels that Sonangol recovered "have characteristics for commercial use for transporting people and may serve for some crossings in the city of Luanda that are currently developed with very low safety standards", said the minister, adding that "it will eventually be an opportunity for ensure the formalization of this activity".

"At this moment, we have terrestrial infrastructure, we have the terminals of Kapossoca, the Museum of Slavery, Macoco and Mussulo and these terminals can support these installations in the crossings that develop in these areas", he added.

The government official also addressed the use of boats on other crossings, such as the case of Soyo (Zaire) and Cabinda, as well as in the provinces of Benguela and Namibe.

"An operational and commercial plan will be drawn up to place these vessels at the service of the population" due to their different characteristics.

The Cabinda ferryboat will transport people and cargo, including vehicles, between Luanda Soyo and Cabinda, with the northern cabotage project due to start at the end of 2021, beginning of 2022, as soon as the infrastructure necessary for its operation is completed.

"We plan to start transporting passengers in January 2022 and then, by the end of the first quarter, move forward with cargo services," he said.

Ricardo d'Abreu indicated that there are other vessels that, eventually, will also serve to transport passengers between Luanda, Soyo and Cabinda.

"We have to draw up an operational plan for this fleet, in an economically sustainable manner, so that we can put the means at the service of the population and that this does not represent more costs for the executive", he said, stressing that it is also necessary to ensure that they are in good condition. and with trained personnel for this purpose.

According to Gaspar Martins, the six catamarans recovered by Sonangol have the capacity to accommodate 350 passengers each.

"The act that we are now witnessing is the culmination of hard team work, and we are proud to have managed to ensure the recovery of these assets, which will undoubtedly be of great value to the country", he stressed, at the ceremony.

The president of Sonangol said that 33 patrol boats and a yacht, which constitute the maritime resources, were handed over to the oil company, refusing to detail whether there are more goods in the sights of the recovery of Sonangol's assets.