Cabo Verde EU Cooperation

Mindelo Cruise Terminal

The Mindelo Cruise Terminal: A Flagship Achievement for Cabo Verde's Blue Economy

In June 2025, the Republic of Cabo Verde marked a transformative milestone in its economic development with the inauguration of the Mindelo Cruise Terminal (Mindelo Cruise Port) on the island of São Vicente. As the most visible fruit of the strategic partnership between Cabo Verde and the European Union, this state-of-the-art facility symbolizes the archipelago's strategic repositioning as a central hub in the global tourism and maritime sectors.

A Modern Gateway to the Atlantic

The new terminal represents a significant upgrade in Cabo Verde's maritime infrastructure. It features two berths capable of simultaneously accommodating cruise ships up to 350 meters in length and processing up to 6,000 passengers. This capacity expansion is designed to capture the growing international cruise market, positioning the deep-water Porto Grande as a competitive stopover for vessels traversing the mid-Atlantic.

The infrastructure also integrates environmental sustainability into its operations. Under the EU's Global Gateway strategy, specific investments were allocated to equip the terminal with photovoltaic roofing and energy systems, aligning port operations with green energy standards.

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The Mindelo Cruise Terminal is expected to be completed by the end of this year and will become operational in 2025, according to the Minister of the Sea. Following a site visit, the minister stressed the importance of Mindelo as Cabo Verde's main hub for the blue economy, highlighting its existing maritime institutions and infrastructure.

He emphasized the need to respect national planning for the maritime sector and noted that the terminal will have a major economic impact, with over 120,000 cruise passengers expected by year's end and significantly higher numbers once the new terminal opens. ENAP will fund the rehabilitation of Mindelo's coastal area to prepare the city for increased cruise tourism.

The minister also ruled out real estate and hotel developments in areas reserved for maritime and shipyard activities and announced that the government will soon present the ONAV rehabilitation project with secured financing.

The financing for the Mindelo Cruise Terminal

The financing and specifications for the Mindelo Cruise Terminal involve a distinction between the construction costs and the European Union's specific contribution to its sustainability and modernization.

Construction Financing vs. EU Contribution

While the European Union is a major partner in Cabo Verde's port infrastructure, the construction of the Mindelo Cruise Terminal itself was not primarily funded by the EU.

Construction Funding: The terminal represented a total investment of over €32 million. This was financed by the Government of Cabo Verde, the OPEC Fund for International Development, and Invest International (ORIO), a Dutch public fund.
EU Contribution: The EU's contribution to the terminal is part of a broader €105 million financing package (supported by the EIB and the EU budget) dedicated to modernizing Cabo Verde's port system. Within this package, the EU's specific contribution to the Mindelo Cruise Terminal focuses on energy transition and sustainability, specifically:
- Onshore Power Supply (OPS): Installing infrastructure to supply electricity to ships while docked, allowing them to turn off diesel engines to reduce emissions,.
- Photovoltaic Energy: Installing a photovoltaic (solar) roof at the terminal to improve energy efficiency,.

Dimensions and Capacity

Length/Capacity: The terminal infrastructure allows for the simultaneous docking of two cruise ships with lengths of up to 350 meters each.
Passenger Capacity: It is designed to process up to 6,000 passengers.

Background and Strategic Context

Inauguration: The terminal, officially named Mindelo Cruise Port, was inaugurated on June 22, 2025,.
Strategic Goal: The project aims to transform the island of São Vicente into a strategic hub for cruise tourism in the mid-Atlantic, leveraging the natural deep-water bay of Porto Grande,.
Broader EU Support: The EU views the terminal as the "first phase" of a wider program to modernize Cabo Verde's ports. The €105 million Global Gateway package also targets the expansion of breakwaters and piers at Porto Grande (São Vicente), Porto Novo (Santo Antão), and Porto da Palmeira (Sal), as well as the rehabilitation of the CABNAVE shipyard,.

Cabo Verde EU Cooperation Mindelo Cruise Terminal

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