Boats without batteries. Minister says Transtejo’s decision “was the best” at the time

The Minister of the Environment says that the decision of the Transtejo/Soflusa administration to buy ships without batteries was the one that was judged to be “the best” and admitted that the judgment of the Court of Auditors (TdC) creates “disorder”.

“I am absolutely convinced that the decision was made aware that it was the best that could be taken at the time”, said the head of the Environment and Climate Action portfolio, Duarte Cordeiro, who oversees urban transport, in statements to journalists in Évora.

The minister said that these decisions by the Transtejo/Soflusa administration,who, however, tendered his resignationwere taken because it was understood, at the time, that they were the “fastest to be able to promote” the operation of electric boats on the Tagus River.

Duarte Cordeiro spoke about a TdC report in which the board of directors of Transtejo/Soflusa is accused of illegal and irrational practices and as a result of which it asked for its dismissalalready accepted by the Government.

At issue is the purchase of nine batteries, for a value of 15.5 million euros (ME), in an additional contract to another contract previously inspected by the TdC for the acquisition, for 52.4 ME, of ten (one of them already with battery for testing) new ships with battery-electric propulsion, to ensure the public service of passenger transport between the two banks of the Tagus.

“Transtejo bought a complete ship and nine incomplete ships, unable to function, because they did not have the necessary batteries for the purpose. The same would be, with the necessary adaptations, buying a car without an engine, a motorcycle without wheels or a bicycle without pedals, reserving it for a procedure after its acquisition”, considered the TdC.

In statements to journalists, at the end of awarding the Honoris Causa doctorate to the architect Carrilho da Graça, the minister stressed that the Government will have to “take decisions quickly” to be able to “award the batteries in time for the arrival of the boats”.

“This TdC decision is an obvious inconvenience and we have to quickly look at it and make decisions”, he underlined, pointing out as urgent the appointment of a new administration for the company and the constitution of a working group.

With “legal and financial” valences, he explained, this working group will analyze the TdC report and point out a path for “the necessary public procurement procedures” for the acquisition of batteries for the boats.

The PCP and BE have already requested the hearing of the Minister for the Environment and Climate Action and the board of directors of Transtejo/Soflusa, following this TdC report.

In addition to the hearings of Minister Duarte Cordeiro and the company’s management requested by blockers and communists, the PCP also wants to hear the TdC.

The president of the board of directors, Marina Ferreira, told journalists today that “the procedure was well done and promoted the public interest”, stating that the considerations of the Court of Auditors are “offensive and outrageous”.

Transtejo is responsible for connecting Seixal, Montijo, Cacilhas and Trafaria/Porto Brandão, in the Setúbal district, to Lisbon, while Soflusa makes the crossing between Barreiro, also in the Setúbal district, and Terreiro do Paço, in Lisbon .

The companies have a common administration.