Editing Azores (section)

====Marine transportation====
[[File:Misericórdia church from the dam Angra (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Marina of [[Angra do Heroísmo]]]]
The Azores has had a long history of marine transport to overcome distances and establish inter-community contacts and trade. Consequently, the shipbuilding industry developed in many islands, from small fishing boats to whaling sloops and larger passenger services.<ref name="ALine">{{cite web |url=http://www.atlanticoline.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=60&lang=en |title=atlanticoline.pt: History |location=Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal |publisher=Atlânticoline |access-date=14 March 2011 |year=2009 |language=pt |archive-date=11 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511114044/http://www.atlanticoline.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=60&lang=en |url-status=live }}</ref> Passenger traffic to the main islands (São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira and Faial) began in the 17th century, and between the 18th–19th century, the ''Pico Yacht'' controlled the lucrative summer traffic season.<ref name=ALine/>

After 1871, the Insulana Shipping Company was the only entity responsible for regular traffic between the islands (except Corvo), Madeira and the United States.<ref name=ALine/> Finally, cargo and passenger transportation ceased in the 1970s, and the ships were sold or converted into tuna fishing boats. For the next 20 years, commercial maritime service between the islands ceased (except between Faial-Pico and Lajes das Flores-Vila do Corvo).<ref name=ALine/>

[[File:Marina of Horta at sunrise, Faial Island, Azores, Portgual (PPL2-Enhanced) julesvernex2.jpg|thumb|right|The port of Horta is famed worldwide as a trans-Atlantic stop for yachts and sailors.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200206-a-post-office-in-the-middle-of-the-atlantic |title=A post office in the middle of the Atlantic |first=Fernando Teixeira & Izabela |last=Cardoso |publisher=BBC |access-date=20 February 2020 |archive-date=9 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209224313/http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200206-a-post-office-in-the-middle-of-the-atlantic |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
[[Transmaçor]] (Transportes Marítimos Açorianos, Lda.) was founded in 1987.<ref name="Transmacor">{{cite web |url=http://transmacor.pt/site_actual/ |title=Transmaçor – Transportes Marítimos Açorianos, Ldª. |editor=Transmaçor |location=Horta (Azores), Portugal |publisher=Transportes Marítimos Açorianos, Lda. |language=pt |year=2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310022040/https://transmacor.pt/site_actual/ |archive-date=10 March 2016}}</ref><ref>The societies and companies comprise 80% of the capital, with the remaining shares owned by the Azores Regional Government.</ref> The shipping company operates four to six daily connections between Horta and Madalena throughout the year, using its small fleet of ships, in addition to inter-island connections between Faial, Pico, São Jorge and Terceira during the summer months.<ref name=Transmacor/> New initiatives began in the late 1990s: the catamaran ''Iapetos'' began services, followed by ''Lady of Mann'' and ''Golfinho Azul'' (chartered by Açorline).<ref name="ALine2">{{cite web |year=2009 |title=atlanticoline.pt: History |url=http://www.atlanticoline.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=60&lang=en |access-date=14 March 2011 |publisher=Atlânticoline |location=Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal |language=pt |archive-date=11 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511114044/http://www.atlanticoline.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=60&lang=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Steve Jobs Yacht Venus in Portugal (Faial Island).jpg|thumb|left|[[Steve Jobs]]'s yacht ''[[Venus (yacht)|Venus]]'' at [[Horta, Azores|Horta]] Marina]]

In 2005, [[Atlânticoline]] was established, providing transport services.<ref name="ALine" /> In 2009, Atlanticoline was involved in a controversial rejection of a 750-passenger, 150-vehicle ship ordered from the Estaleiros de Viana do Castelo (ENVC).<ref name="ENVC">{{cite web |title="Atlântida" está há um ano ancorado em Lisboa e ainda sem destino |url=http://www.acorianooriental.pt/noticia/atlantida-esta-ha-um-ano-ancorado-em-lisboa-e-ainda-sem-destino |language=pt |date=28 August 2012 |access-date=28 August 2012 |location=Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal |author=Agência Lusa/AO online/Hoje |archive-date=1 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501105244/http://www.acorianooriental.pt/noticia/atlantida-esta-ha-um-ano-ancorado-em-lisboa-e-ainda-sem-destino |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''Atlantida'', a 50&nbsp;million Euro cruiser (as part of a two-ship deal with the other named ''Anticiclone'') was rejected in 2009 by Atlanticoline for the under-performance of the power-plant.<ref name="ENVC" /> Although it would result in only a five-minute delay between islands, the public company rejected the ship, and the contract was broken over the builder's inability to deliver the required ship on time.<ref name="ENVC" /> While the ship was being shopped to other interested parties ([[Hugo Chávez]] once considered purchasing the ferryboat in 2010), no interested buyers appeared, and ENVC decided to cede the ''Atlantida'' to Atlânticoline as part of the latter's open international competition to charter two ships in 2012.<ref name="ENVC" />

In June 2011, the Regional Government announced that it would purchase 60% of Transmaçor, equivalent to 500,000 Euro of the company's capital. With this transaction the government took control of 88% of the capital of the company. The signed memorandum of understanding concluded negotiations between the various parties involved, under which the liability of Transmaçor (worth a total of 8&nbsp;million Euro) was divided equally between the government and businessman [[José E. Almeida]], who was previously the holder of a majority stake in the company.<ref name="StakeTransmacor">{{cite web |editor=AO Online |author=Lusa |title=Concluídas negociações para compra da Transmaçor |access-date=21 June 2011 |date=20 June 2011 |language=pt |url=http://www.acorianooriental.pt/noticias/view/216797 |archive-date=6 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006091230/http://www.acorianooriental.pt/noticias/view/216797 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Similarly, the Regional Government approved the consolidation of the three individual port authorities (Administração dos Portos do Triângulo e Grupo Ocidental, Administração dos Portos da Terceira e Graciosa and the Administração dos Portos das Ilhas de São Miguel e Santa Maria) and regional Portos dos Açores into one entity that resulted in a 2.2&nbsp;million Euro cost savings, in addition to a reduction from 11 to three administrators.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tribunadasilhas.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2170:portos-dos-acores--fusao-administrativa-aprovada-na-assembleia-regional&catid=2:regional&Itemid=3 |title=Portos dos Açores – Fusão administrativa aprovada na Assembleia Regional |language=pt |date=8 June 2011 |access-date=5 September 2011 |first=Maria |last=Pinheiro |publisher=Tribuna das Ilhas |location=Horta, Portugal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711054523/http://www.tribunadasilhas.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2170%3Aportos-dos-acores--fusao-administrativa-aprovada-na-assembleia-regional&catid=2%3Aregional&Itemid=3 |archive-date=11 July 2011}}</ref>