On 7 August 2025, the AdC issued an opinion at the request of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Azores on Draft Resolution No. 46/XIII/1ª (CHEGA). This draft recommends that the Regional Government of Azores launch an international public tender for the provision of public maritime freight transport services.
In its Opinion, the AdC warns that a model for awarding a public service contract through a public tender could limit the number of competing companies, with a negative impact on competition.
It is also noted that the regime for regular general or containerized cargo transport between mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions was assessed as part of the ‘AdC Impact 2020’ project, and a reassessment of this regime was proposed. The AdC has listed a set of guidelines for this reassessment exercise, namely the assessment of the actual need for the public service. If commercially attractive services or routes are identified, an alternative regime of effective liberalisation without public service obligations may be considered; and a model for awarding public service provision through public tender for the remaining routes and/or services.