Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Dec. 31, 2025 (Lusa) - The Port of Funchal, on Portugal's Madeira Island, is welcoming 11 cruise ships and a sailing boat on New Year's Eve to watch the fireworks display marking the beginning of 2026, bringing in more than 30,000 people, according to the port authority.
"It is the culmination of an excellent year, in which we have once again reached record levels in terms of passenger traffic and the number of cruise ship calls," said Paula Cabaço, president of APRAM - Port Authority of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, in a statement.
The operation on New Year's Eve will be coordinated by the Madeira Port Operations and Safety Directorate.
According to the port authority, during the day, weather permitting, launches will be used to bring passengers ashore from the ships Bollete, Spirit of Adventure, Ambience and Santa Maria Manuela, which are anchored offshore.
The ships AIDAbella, Mein Schiff Relax and Marella Voyager will remain moored inside the port, with Mein Schiff Relax leaving for anchorage at 5:30 pm.
The Spirit of Discovery, Artania, Arcadia, Mein Schiff 7 and Mein Schiff 3 will also be anchored in the bay.
"In addition to some changes in arrival and departure times, the bad weather forecast led to the cancellation of the arrival of the Silver Muse ship, which was due to make its maiden call in Madeira on Wednesday," said APRAM.
In total, the Port of Funchal will handle around 30,000 people today, 22,000 of whom are passengers.
Despite the bad weather forecast, the Regional Government of Madeira has decided to go ahead with the midnight fireworks display, after considering bringing it forward to 8 p.m. today.
The Madeira executive (PSD/CDS-PP) justified the decision on the grounds that Portugal's national meteorological institute (IPMA) had adjusted the orange weather warning to 3 a.m. on Thursday, whereas it was initially to be in effect from midnight on the first day of the year.
The traditional fireworks display, one of Madeira's biggest attractions, will take place in Funchal and will last eight minutes, with 22 tonnes of fireworks being set off, totalling 97,000 fireworks.
The national meteorological institute has placed the south coast of Madeira under a yellow warning for rain between 6:00 pm today and 3:00 am on Thursday, with the entire archipelago then moving to an orange warning until 9:00 am, due to the passage of the Francis depression.
The orange warning is issued whenever there is a moderate to high risk weather situation, and the yellow warning when there is a risk situation for certain activities dependent on the weather situation.
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