The government wanted to purchase four ships: two smaller vessels to substitute the aging Cruzeiro das Ilhas and Cruzeiro do Canal; of these one would be permanently docked in Velas (to maintain the São Roque-Horta line) and the other in the port of Horta (to secure the vital Horta-Pico route), both ships would have a 40 meters length and capacity for 300 passengers, in addition to space for 15 vehicles.