The agreement "for an indefinite period" was signed at the Academy of the Port of Luanda, between the Hydrographic and Maritime Signaling Institute of Angola (IHSMA) and the Hydrographic Institute (IH) of Portugal.
IHSMA director-general, Manuel Narciso, and IH director-general, Admiral Carlos Ventura Soares, were the signatories of the protocol in a ceremony that was attended by the Secretary of State for the Civil Aviation, Maritime and Port sectors of Angola, Carlos Borges.
Both institutions must develop, within the scope of this protocol, various activities in the field of cartography, hydrography, nautical signaling, oceanography and in the training of Angolan staff.
The objective is "to provide technical and scientific support in this activity, which is very important for maritime safety", explained Manuel Narciso.
"We remember that the northern cabotage, Cabinda and Soyo are now going to come into operation, and we need to guarantee the safety of navigation," he added.
According to the official, work under this protocol is already underway in Angola, namely actions carried out between a Portuguese vessel and an IHSMA speedboat "in the collection of data for the updating of the nautical chart that will be delivered in the first quarter of 2022".
"So, it is an advantage for both countries, both institutes, we are going to work together so that we can guarantee with greater efficiency, greater comfort for all Angolan navigation", assured the director-general of IHSMA.
The updating of the Angolan nautical chart, "out of date for a long time", was also highlighted as one of the components of the protocol, whose hydrographic surveys are already underway.
Angola "is in the process of joining" as a member of the International Hydrographic Organization, to which Portugal is already a party, and the agreement "also has this tendency, especially in the chapter of internal and European country training for young Angolan staff", he stressed.
For his part, Admiral Carlos Ventura Soares highlighted the relevance of the protocol in which Portugal "puts great enthusiasm because it will allow the transmission of knowledge so that Angola is increasingly autonomous" with regard to its nautical cartography.
"In other words, the charts and maritime maps that allow ships to navigate safely and this issue of ships in safety is fundamental to improve the operationalization of Angola's ports," he pointed out.
"And to improve the trade in goods through ports, that is, better knowledge of the seabed and better safety in the operation of ships, for example, the costs of imported or exported goods will be reduced", highlighted the Portuguese admiral.
Carlos Ventura Soares stressed that the protocol "is vast and also implies improving everything that has to do with maritime safety, cartography, oceanography, training" which is planned "already for 2022".
The director-general of IH de Portugal also admitted that, following the training cycles and with the knowledge acquired, Angola could be "completely autonomous within five or 10 years" in the fields of its nautical chart, oceanography and others.
The secretary of State for the Civil Aviation, Maritime and Port sectors of Angola, at the time, valued the protocol stressing that "although symbolic, it also contains a strategic vision in the relationship between the two countries".
"We intend that this agreement will be materialized as soon as possible in an action plan so that they effectively make valid contributions and significant advances in what are the areas within its scope, as we need this instrument to improve our activity. ", noted Carlos Borges.
"For us it is fundamental, 95 percent of our import activity involves maritime activity, the port of Luanda is potentially one of the great beneficiaries, but not only of this cooperation, which will strengthen Angola's maritime and port activities", stressed Borges.
