Portugal must “focus its attention” on the Azores, a nerve center considered the “maritime roundabout of the Atlantic.” The idea was defended by Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nuno Chaves Ferreira in Angra do Heroísmo.
” Currently, the Azores, and in particular the island of Terceira, constitute the nerve center of what we might call the maritime roundabout of the Atlantic, a center on which Portugal must focus its attention, as it is an area through which a large part of the world’s goods and services circulate, particularly by sea, which are fundamental to the functioning of the Azores, Portugal, and European and Western societies,” he said.
The naval commander spoke at the change of command ceremony for the Portuguese Navy ship Setúbal.
Nuno Chaves Ferreira emphasized that the Azores have “a unique maritime identity and strategic importance.”
“It is in this maritime space that threats to national sovereignty are likely to be felt, particularly from submarines, whose dangers and risks can be very real,” he stressed.
The naval commander argued that submarine cables, which account for 95% of intercontinental internet traffic, ”should be a cause for heightened attention.”

Therefore, “Portugal is responsible for ensuring effective defense and a permanent naval presence to protect and guarantee security and free movement in these maritime areas. Only in this way is it possible to promote the sustainable development of the Autonomous Region of the Azores and, as a whole, of the national territory,” he stressed.
On the other hand, he recalled that the creation of a network of marine protected areas covering 30% of the Azores ocean—the largest protected area in the North Atlantic—” has created an increased responsibility for its surveillance and protection of the respective marine ecosystems.”
“We can never protect if we are not present and do not exercise our sovereignty. It was also with these responsibilities towards the Autonomous Region of the Azores in mind that the Navy began the process of building the third generation of Viana do Castelo class ocean patrol vessels, equipped with better submarine detection capabilities, greater autonomy, more environmentally friendly and with better surveillance systems and equipment,” he pointed out.

Two patrol vessels in the Azores
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Vice Admiral Nuno Chaves Ferreira told DI that two of the six ocean patrol vessels to be built will remain in the Azores.
“This will allow us to have one ship permanently stationed in Ponta Delgada, during a rest period, and the other to travel around the other islands and monitor the maritime areas,” he explained.
When asked whether these resources are sufficient, he replied, “no navy in the world can say it has all the necessary resources.”
“These are the resources that Portugal can afford, given its size and its capacity to build and develop its armed forces, but there is one fundamental aspect,” he pointed out.
“The sense of collaboration and cooperation between the various entities with responsibilities at sea, whether through the Ministry of the Environment or through regional entities, is very important because only through a joint effort will we be able to go further,” he added.
The new ocean patrol vessels will monitor and inspect maritime areas, safeguard life at sea, support experimentation, protect the marine environment, cooperate with CPLP countries, and participate in NATO and European Union operations.
In addition to strengthening resources, the Azores are set to have a naval base in Praia da Vitória.
“We have plans, in a study that is still being finalized, to build several naval support bridges, particularly in Viana do Castelo. An agreement was recently signed with local authorities to build a naval support point. We already have one in Portimão. Now it is absolutely essential to build a new naval support point in Praia da Vitória and later probably also in Madeira,“ he said.
”Ships are designed to operate far from their main base and often require maintenance and repair,” he argued.

Surveillance of Russian ships
At the ceremony, the naval commander warned that in 2024 alone, the Navy “monitored and tracked around 80 Russian Federation vessels that transited through waters under national jurisdiction.”
“The latest developments in the international situation, although apparently distant in geographical terms, prove that our national territory and our resources, before being exploited in a sustainable manner, must be defended and maintained without depending on third parties,” he stressed.
“We must be vigilant and very alert, but in addition to being vigilant, we must be prepared to first deter any attempt to harm national interests, but even more so, we must be able to prevent and react effectively should any of these threats materialize,” he added.
Lieutenant Commander Pedro Ladeiro Marcelino replaced Commander David Cardoso Pereira as commander of the NRP Setúbal.
During his commission, Nuno Chaves Ferreira called on the new commander to foster and deepen relations with the Azorean authorities, “seeking to be a contributing, available, and valuable member.”
He also called for “a naval presence throughout the Azores archipelago, visiting all the islands and not just staying stationed in Ponta Delgada.”

Pedro Ladeiro Marcelino pledged to “preserve and leverage” the ship’s capabilities “in order to achieve, in all circumstances, the balance, tranquility, and resilience necessary for the safe and resolute fulfillment of the tasks entrusted to the NRP Setúbal.”
In his farewell speech, David Cardoso Pereira gave an overview of his 14-month mission.
“During the 200 days of the NRP Setúbal’s mission, 22,000 miles were covered, totaling 2,200 hours of navigation. Five SAR [search and rescue] missions were carried out in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the mainland, one SAR mission in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Azores, 18 escorts of contacts of interest to the Russian Federation, four anti-drug trafficking operations, as well as other relevant actions,” he listed.


In Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.