The President of the Government announced today that the study on the redevelopment of Praia da Graciosa Port, conducted by the company Portos dos Açores, includes a new passenger terminal to be built from scratch and with all the operating, comfort and safety conditions. 

At the beginning of the Government's statutory visit to Graciosa, Vasco Cordeiro said the company Portos dos Açores has received instructions to carry out the necessary procedures for the redevelopment of Praia da Graciosa Port.

“Besides providing facilities for port operations, this study also includes a passenger terminal to be built from scratch with all the operating, comfort and safety conditions, such as different embarkation and disembarkation areas for passengers and vehicles as well as other features,” stressed Vasco Cordeiro.
 
The President of the Government spoke at the opening of the new Control Tower of Graciosa Aerodrome, an investment of about 1.4 million Euros that falls within the strategy to improve the air and maritime accessibility to this island. 

“When we talk about cohesion, we also talk about this. We are talking about making investments that, by themselves, can induce the development of the islands,” said Vasco Cordeiro. 

According to the President of the Government, the redevelopment of Graciosa, Air Terminal, which has been carried by SATA Group, is already at an advanced stage of completion. 

"The process for the redevelopment of this infrastructure has already been submitted to the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) for certification. 

Once this certification has been obtained, the necessary steps will be taken towards its redevelopment, including the launch of the respective public tender,” announced Vasco Cordeiro.
 
According to him, the number of passengers travelling to Graciosa by air grew more than 20 percent between 2016 and 2019, reaching more than 28 thousand last year. 

The same happens with maritime accessibility. In the case of Graciosa, it registered an increase of 25 percent in the number of passengers disembarking on that island in 2019, compared with the previous year. 

For the President of the Government, the investments already made, as well as those to start soon “are not the finishing line” in the development process of this island and should be rather regarded as tools at the service of Graciosa islanders and their institutions.
 
“In this legislative period, the Regional Investment Plans provided for an overall appropriation of more than 130 million Euros for the island of Graciosa, which means that, in terms of 'per capita' investment, it is well above the regional average,” said Vasco Cordeiro. 

"It is this fruitful partnership between public investment and entrepreneurship and private initiative that enable us to continue following a path that, through the results achieved, proves that we are on the right track," said the President of the Government.