The operators of the ferry service linking Puntarenas with Paquera on the Nicoya Peninsula, Naviera Tambor, S.A., has been granted a 10-year extension of their concession to run the service, said the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works (MOPT, in Spanish) this week.

Paquera links tourists to the nearby beaches of Tambor, Mal País, Montezuma, Santa Teresa and others in the southern Nicoya peninsula region, and the ferry service is an essential mode of transportation for Nicoya residents who need to reach Puntarenas for a variety of services. See Bright Star Trips for tours in the Tambor, Mal Pais, Santa Teresa and Montezuma area.

After evaluating the company for quality, efficiency and safety standards, the Port Maritime Division of the MOPT gave the go ahead for the contract renewal, said officials.

This public cabotage service is the most important in the region, where more than 1,100,000 people and 245,000 vehicles are mobilized annually, for a total of 4,380 trips per year, carried out uninterruptedly with six daily departures from Puntarenas and six from Paquera.

The existing contract, which was due to expire on March 8, allowed for a single additional 10-year renewal, said officials.

The service will be maintained with the Tambor II and Tambor III ferries each with capacity of 800 passengers and 160 vehicles, and whose capacity could be increased in the future according to the terms of the contract.