New ferry operator wants to sail to Taipa

The Maritime Administration (CP) received an application from a ferry operator that wants to start operations to the Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal, the Portuguese-language newspaper Tribuna de Macau reported.
According to the CP, the process is still being reviewed to see if the Pac On pier is able to handle a new service.
Tribuna wrote that the process of granting new ferry route licenses always requires the launch of an open tender but the authority refused to share more details on the issue, saying it has just recently received the request.
This is seemingly the first expression of interest in launching a new ferry service from the Taipa terminal since Macao Dragon ceased operations last September.
The budget operator stopped its service between Pac On and Hong Kong after a run of just 14 months and called in liquidators, blaming the shutdown on licensing problems.
The CP sued the company and revoked the licence, as well as kept a MOP 2 million deposit required to start operations.
Macao Dragon started operating routes from Hong Kong to Taipa in July 2010 and was well-known for its cheap tickets. CotaiJet is currently the only operator linking the HKSAR and Pac On.
The operator’s bankruptcy led to questions over competition in the ferry service linking the territory with the HKSAR and mainland China, especially because Shun Tak, which controls ferry operator TurboJet, bought rival company New World First Ferry in August.