Cape Verde shipyard to be re-launched

CNFC has already shown interest and asked to be considered a partner in the privatisation of the struggling shipyard, which is strongly supported by the Cape Verdean company, according to Manuel Inocêncio Sousa, Cape Verde's Infrastructure, Transport and Sea Minister.

''CNFC has a significant fishing fleet in this area of the Atlantic, made up of 245 vessels that operate between Morocco and Sierra Leone. The mere repair of those vessels at Cabnave would liven up the naval industry in Sao Vicente. This is without even counting on the same firm in the rehabilitation of Cabnave, via privatisation,'' Cabnave chief executive, Baltasar Ramos.

Ramos also said that CNFC would soon present a business plan for the Cape Verdean company, which would be handed in to the Government Privatization Bureau, together with a privatisation proposal.

A working group is expected to be created to analyse the proposal and give its opinion to the Praia government at a later date.

According to Ramos, the Chinese fishing company is also interested in creating an Operations Centre in Sao Vicente, which will work as a logistics base for its fishing fleet.

Alongside the Chinese partnership with Cabnave, the Cape Verdean government is trying to refurbish the Interbase refrigeration unit, with Spanish support.

Transport Minister, Manuel Inocêncio, recently told the local press that the project was awaiting the go-ahead from the Spanish Foreign Trade Ministry.

''When funding has been confirmed to modernise and refurbish Inerbase, the Cape Verde government will set off the process leading to establishing a partnership with fishing sector business people in Spain, so that, as concession-holders, they can run the factory,'' the Minister said.

With these two projects, he said, it will be possible to create a fishing base at Mindelo Port that is capable of attracting the fishing fleets of Spain and China, which operate on the West African coast.