ORANJESTAD – The Government of Aruba has cancelled the tender procedure for a preparatory study into a possible ferry connection with Curaçao after the submitted bids exceeded the available budget by more than 20 percent.
According to Aruba’s public procurement rules, the procedure could not continue under those circumstances. The cancellation was officially announced Wednesday by Aruba’s Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry.
The tender was intended to select a consultancy firm that would investigate the technical, economic and legal feasibility of establishing a passenger ferry service between Aruba and Curaçao.
The selected consultancy would also have been responsible for preparing and guiding a future tender procedure to select an operator for the ferry service.
The Aruban government has not disclosed how many proposals were received, the amount reserved for the assignment or the exact value of the submitted offers.
It is also unclear whether Aruba will launch a new tender, adjust the available budget or modify the scope of the assignment.
Preparation delayed
The cancellation does not mean that the ferry project has been abandoned. However, the preparation phase will face delays.
Under the original planning, a consultancy firm should have been selected by March 30. The selection of a ferry operator was scheduled to take place no later than February 26, 2027.
Aruba and Curaçao launched the tender process in February, with interested consultancy firms given until March 20 to submit proposals. The assignment was expected to run from April 2026 until the end of February 2027.
The project is part of a broader cooperation agreement between Aruba and Curaçao to develop a permanent maritime connection between the islands.