PRAIA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Cape Verde's public port company ENAPOR signed a contract on Tuesday with a Chinese consortium to construct a new vessel for inter-island maritime transport, with an investment of about 17 million euros (about 19.9 million U.S. dollars).

According to a statement released by ENAPOR, the project involves the construction of a roll-on/roll-off vessel tailored to the specific needs of the archipelago and designed for high operational versatility.

The vessel will be able to carry up to 300 passengers and 60 light vehicles, or alternatively 12 heavy trucks, the statement said.

At about 75 meters in length and equipped with modern technical solutions, the vessel is expected to strengthen the country's logistics capacity and contribute to territorial integration and economic activity, it added.

The contract was awarded through an international public tender to a consortium formed by Shenzhen Churui New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and Taizhou Changlong Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. The vessel is planned to be built at Pinghu Huahai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in China, according to the winning companies.

Construction is expected to be completed within 21 to 24 months after validation of the detailed implementation program. ■