Problems with charging have led to dozens of cancellations
The poor start to the heady electrification of Lisbon ferries has persisted over the last few months with dozens of cancellations – often at peak time – “due to problems with charging batteries”.
Seixal mayor Paulo Silva has been talking to Lusa after a meeting with the management of Transtejo Soflusa – which runs the ferry services (between Seixal and Lisbon) that have been dogged by “successive cancellations”.
He said he had been informed that no less than “89 routes were cancelled in October, most of which were due to problems with charging batteries of the electric ships” – that is the vessels purchased for €52 million, and then to be found in the main without batteries at all…
This far of the nine electric ferries purchased, five have been delivered – and ”all of them have had problems with the charging system”, said the mayor.
The chairwoman of Transtejo Soflusa’s board of directors has, however, assured him that the problems will be resolved by the end of the year – with charging systems fully repaired and the Cais de Sodré charging station up and running.
Paulo Silva also said that Transtejo’s management told him that it has refused to accept any of the other purchased vessels until the problems with the current five have been resolved.
The bottom line, however, is that Paulo Silva feels the “adventure” with green shipping “is harming users” – particularly those in Seixal, regularly thwarted in their efforts to cross the river (and get to work/ school/ university/ or simply on with their lives).
“I got the feeling that the whole electric boat project wasn’t properly considered by the authorities and that they embarked on an ‘adventure’ of acquiring electric vessels without checking that they had already been properly tested and proven to be effective,” he said, adding that the complicated situation has not been helped by the fact that “the boats were not bought with batteries and charging systems included, which now creates problems in compatibility…”
So where does all this leave ‘the footsore public’? Paulo Silva says if cancellations continue, he will ask the minister responsible for a meeting.
Lusa says it too has questioned Transtejo Soflusa about the cancellations, to be informed that “the experimental phase of the regular operation of the new 100% electric ships began on September 16, with some routes running according to the commercial timetable in force.
“However, given the technical specificities of the electric operation – namely, navigation and charging of the ships – there have been delays on some routes during peak periods on some working days.
“The fact that this is a pioneering and innovative project means that some aspects, identified after the electric ships go into operation, will have to be fine-tuned and quickly overcome,” Transtejo Soflusa adds.
The company concludes, as if perhaps making the electric fleet’s lack of capacity more acceptable, that its fuel-powered ships “used as an alternative (…) have had some unexpected breakdowns” which “have also caused service disruptions”.
Transtejo Soflusa is responsible for the river connection between Seixal, Montijo, Cacilhas, Barreiro and Trafaria/Porto Brandão, in the district of Setúbal, and Lisbon.
Source material: LUSA
