César seeks clarity on management of Azores research vessel
Azores GuideFrancisco César sought answers on who will manage Azores Ocean, its operating costs and how it will be used.
After socialist deputies from the Portuguese parliament's Environment and Energy Committee and the Azores legislative assembly visited the OKEANOS Institute of Marine Sciences in Horta, Faial, Francisco César called for clarification of the responsibilities of the Azores and the Portuguese state in managing the new research vessel.
He demanded answers on the vessel's management, operating costs and use, describing an "enormous confusion" over its future operation. César said there were no answers on who would manage the vessel, what maintenance would cost or how it could generate revenue to cover part of its operating costs.
César said the project, financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, should primarily serve the Azores. He called for the responsibilities of regional authorities to be defined and for the national government's role through the Navy or another institution to be clarified. He said European and state budget funds are available.
He also urged an assessment of whether workers from the current research vessel Arquipélago could be retrained or reassigned to the new vessel, in dialogue with the entities responsible for the crew. According to Correio dos Açores, he also sought clarification on whether Arquipélago can remain in service for a few more years.
César expressed concern about MARTEC, which he called a structural investment for the Autonomous Region of the Azores. He said its operating model remains unclear and that at least half of the investment already made is stalled.
Azores Ocean is financed through the Recovery and Resilience Plan's Component C10, Sea, and is part of the Azores Sea Cluster investment. The vessel, scientific equipment and a remotely operated underwater vehicle represent an investment of close to €30 million. The vessel is about 46 metres long and has diesel-electric propulsion for multidisciplinary scientific operations at great depths.
This site previously reported that BE/Açores seeks answers on Arquipélago's future.
Sources
Azores Guide
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