The maritime company has announced the suspension of services on the Linha Sotavento due to an “urgent need for dry-docking for technical intervention,” leaving passengers and freight temporarily stranded until further notice.
After making a mid-sea turnaround due to a generator malfunction en route to Fogo Island, the vessel Liberdadi ran aground at the entrance to Praia port, carrying 144 passengers along with cargo, including vehicles.
Rescue efforts ensured that passengers were safely transported to a breakwater near the access road to the port, and the ship was eventually towed to the quay.
CV Interilhas, the operating company, stated that it currently lacks a substitute vessel since another ship, Kriola, is also docked for maintenance necessary for its safety and navigability certifications.
The company is reviewing “all possible options to find solutions to swiftly re-establish connections on the Santiago/Fogo/Brava and Santiago/Maio routes.”
“At this moment, we cannot provide a date for the resumption of services,” the company stated.
The Liberdadi had experienced a “technical incident with the main engine” the previous week.
In February, another vessel from the fleet, Dona Tututa, encountered a malfunction upon arriving at Boa Vista Island.
CV Interilhas, a Cape Verdean shipping company established in 2019, operates under a 20-year public service contract with the Cape Verde Government for passenger and cargo maritime transport between the islands.
The consortium comprises 12 shipping companies, including the Portuguese Grupo ETE, which holds a majority share of 51% through its subsidiaries Transinsular and Transinsular Cabo Verde, with the rest held by 11 Cape Verdean companies.
