Paulo Melich Farinha has advocated that a future ferry link between Madeira and the mainland should be designed around the needs of cargo transport and its capacity to generate economic movement.
Speaking at a panel on ferry operations during the JPP parliamentary days, he questioned assumptions in the current feasibility study, drawing on the experience of previous maritime operations in the region.
Farinha recalled historical services that transported passengers, vehicles, and rolling cargo, emphasizing the potential of the rolling cargo model over containers, citing the Finnish ship "Finnjet" as a successful concept example.
He also pointed to the Faroe Islands, with a smaller population but regular rolling cargo services, and the Naviera Armas experience in Madeira (2008-2011) as proof that the operation could attract foreign tourists, generating additional economic activity.
