The Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT) carried out a study on the viability of a ferry connection between Madeira and mainland Portugal. The study concludes that the route is unviable from a commercial point of view, arguing that it does not generate immediate profit in an isolated operation.
The IMT's analysis was criticized for considering that elements such as passengers, vehicles, cargo, logistical redundancy, and territorial continuity should not be valued in the economic equation. The article questions this evaluation logic, suggesting that these factors represent essential services and not dispensable luxuries.
The central question raised is whether there is genuine demand for a public service or general economic interest, rather than limiting the analysis to immediate financial results. The study identifies high port and operational costs as part of the problem, but the text remains incomplete.
The article suggests that the viability assessment should not be based solely on isolated commercial profitability criteria, but should consider the strategic and social value of maintaining territorial connectivity with the autonomous region of Madeira.
