A CHINESE consortium led by Shenzhen Churui New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. has won a contract to design and build a new roll-on/roll-off vessel for Cape Verde’s public port company, ENAPOR, in a deal valued at approximately 17 million euros (about US$19.9 million).

The contract, signed Tuesday, was awarded through an international public tender. The consortium also includes Taizhou Changlong Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., with the vessel planned for construction at Pinghu Huahai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in east China’s Zhejiang Province.

According to an ENAPOR statement, the vessel is tailored to the archipelago’s specific needs, designed for high operational versatility. It will carry up to 300 passengers and 60 light vehicles, or alternatively 12 heavy trucks.

Measuring about 75 meters in length and equipped with modern technical solutions, the vessel is expected to strengthen Cape Verde’s logistics capacity, enhance territorial integration, and support economic activity.

The project is set to be completed within 21 to 24 months after validation of the detailed implementation program.

Cape Verde is a striking volcanic archipelago off the coast of West Africa, consisting of a group of islands. Its capital, Praia, is located on the island of Santiago. The country takes its name from Africa’s westernmost point, Cape Verde— situated in nearby Senegal, which is the closest point on the mainland.

ENAPOR is a public limited company with exclusively state-owned capital, wholly owned by the Republic of Cape Verde.

With over 35 years in the market, ENAPOR stands as a leading reference in Cape Verde’s business sector. The company operates across all nine inhabited islands of the country, connecting them to each other and to the wider world. (SD-Xinhua)