Island cabotage and inter-island maritime transport should integrate the objectives of the trans-European passenger and maritime motorway networks established European Union, defended the Regional Director for Air and Maritime Transport in Funchal today.
Speaking at the seminar on “The European islands and the sea motorways” (As Ilhas europeias e as auto-estradas do mar), organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe, Lucília Soares defended the need to raise the awareness of Community institutions for the improvement of the allocation of financial resources to support the outermost regions, taking into account that maritime transport cannot be regarded as  an option or alternative, as it happens in Mainland Europe, but as means of transport capable of supplying the archipelagos on a regular basis.  
The importance of simplifying the regulatory framework concerning the maritime transport, particularly the creation of a one-stop shop for administrative and customs procedures, the reinforcement of safety rules, the fight against marine pollution, energy efficiency and transport regularity were also defended during the meeting.