The ferry that used to ply the route between Portimão and Funchal, in Madeira, has been selected by the Empresa de Navegação Madeirense which is set to operate the route this summer.After a break of six years, the 'Volcan de Tijarafe' is being chartered Naviera Armas, with the first crossing planned for July 2nd.
The prices and timetable are being worked on and the expected June start date already has been moved to an inaugural voyage in July, starting from Tenerife, in the Canaries.
The ferry trip between Madeira and Portimão is expected to take 23 hours, quicker than specified in the tender document. The Madeira regional government was offering a €3 million-a-year safety blanket for the operator to provide a cargo and passenger service with a journey time of "less than 24-hours."
The triangular trip connects the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Portuguese mainland - a round trip that made short visits to Madeira impossible unless returning by air.
The plan is to leave the Canary Islands on Sundays, arrival in Funchal on Mondays and in Portimão on Tuesday mornings.
The last of the 12 trips planned for 2018 is due to start on September 20th.
The Volcan de Tijarafe ferry schedule was scrapped in January 2012 by the Spanish operating company, Naviera Armas, after three years service. The reason for the decision, according to the operator, was an increase in landing charges levied by the port authorities in Funchal.
In its last year of service, the Portimão to Funchal route carried 22,000 passengers and 4,500 vehicles.
