As the president of the ‘Ports Authority of Sines and of the Algarve,’ João Soares Franco, at last is relieved of his command, he has made clear his attitude towards Portimão’s dock expansion scheme, described by the former Minister of the Economy as a 'no brainer' to boost the local economy.
João Franco said that "the cruise business will never pay for the investment - even the cheaper option" and that in addition to environmental implications, extending the docks in Portimão “will have little economic viability.”
The outgoing president also said the expansion plan for Portimão was a purely political decision but the ports authority anyway is preparing investment options between €12 million and €35 million which will be submitted to government in 2017.
These are the long-awaited plans to increase the turning area for large cruise ships and to lengthen the quayside in order to receive larger vessels.
Franco’s replacement, José Luis Cacho, is part of a new cadre of directors at the ports authority, all of the current ones are being ‘let go.’ There already have been concerns that Cacho has zero connection to the Algarve region so is unlikely to remedy the current underinvestment.
On Tuesday, Franco hosted a farewell with journalists in Sines to say what a great job he had done, leaving the company in rude financial health.
The reality in the Algarve is one of under-investment, deliberate marginalisation by the Sines-based management and an indifference to the Algarve's ports that should have led to Franco’s replacement years ago.
In 2016, the port of Sines will handle close to 48.4 million tons of cargo and indeed has performed well, exceeding targets and soaking up available investment.
In the Algarve, Faro and Portimão docks represent just 0.5% of the Sines and Algarve ports authority’s turnover and employ less than 40 workers.
Despite being in charge of Faro docks and responsible for shipment volume, João Soares Franco commented that in reality, "Faro is not in business" since all exports come from just one company, the cement producer Cimpor in Loulé, which itself has suffered from a drop in demand from its prime market of Angola.
The best suggestion the ports authority’s president had to offer was to use the area to repair ships and use the facility for pleasure boats in order to avoid its closure. The oft’ mooted ferry connection between Tangier and Faro is as far from reality as ever but in short, Franco has no interest in the Algarve and now has made this clear.
João Soares Franco’s farewell comments shows why those involved in the promotion of the Algarve as a cruise destination and an export point long have sought his removal - this organ included.
