Storm Charles caused extensive damage to Funchal Marina, damaging walkways and boats and leaving its fuel station unusable. The Port of Funchal was expected to be operational again on Thursday morning, with the Lobo Marinho ferry due to resume sailings to Porto Santo.
After inspecting the port and marina on Wednesday, the 11th of November, Regional Secretary for the Economy José Manuel Rodrigues said Madeira’s port infrastructure had generally held up well given the severity of the storm. He was accompanied by APRAM’s Director of Port Operations and Security, Paulo Falé, and board member Isabel Figueiroa.
Rodrigues said closing the Port of Funchal at 20:00 on Tuesday had been essential for safety. At 06:30 on Wednesday, the Lobo Marinho had to leave its berth after its mooring lines began to break in rough seas. The ferry returned at 14:00.
A Portuguese Navy patrol vessel was also moved to the Pontinha pier, where waves breaking over the structure displaced large stones.
Rodrigues said the remaining work at the port mainly involved dealing with cables and clearing debris. Cruise ship calls are scheduled to return on Friday, the 13th of November.
The marina operator is assessing the damage and has already carried out some repairs. With the fuel station out of use, the operator and APRAM will need to find a way to restore supplies to boats, including those used by marine tourism businesses.
A major clean-up is also needed to remove debris washed into the marina. Rodrigues linked the amount of debris to silting in the Ribeira de São João.
The Regional Government plans to close the existing marina entrance beside the stream and create a new one near Funchal’s old pier. Rodrigues said the project would be costly and that the Government would seek funding to carry out the work in the coming years.
Both pontoons near Praça da Autonomia also sustained extensive damage. Floating debris posed a hazard to navigation and was expected to be removed by the end of the day.
The port of Caniçal has been operational since this morning (Wednesday), with loading and unloading proceeding normally, Rodrigues said. He thanked APRAM staff who remained on standby throughout the storm to help keep people, vessels and port facilities safe.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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