Pico leads interisland ferry arrivals as regional traffic falls in August

Ports in the Azores recorded 89,831 passenger arrivals on interisland ferry journeys in August 2026, down 5,188 from the same month in 2025. That represents a decline of about 5.5%, according to figures from the Azores Regional Statistics Service.

Pico remained the island with the highest passenger traffic by sea, although its arrivals also fell compared with August last year. Terceira recorded the steepest percentage decline among the islands, at about 15%.

In the Western Group, where ferry connections operate throughout the year, no change in passenger traffic was reported. The regional total therefore brings together differing trends across the islands, even as overall arrivals declined.

The August fall adds to a wider gap in this year's figures: from January through August, Azorean ports recorded about 20,000 fewer interisland passenger arrivals than in the same period of 2025. The shortfall extends beyond a single month of the peak season.

The measure counts arrivals at ports, so one person can appear more than once if they make several journeys. It nevertheless tracks use of the sea connections that serve residents travelling between islands and visitors planning trips across the archipelago, particularly on the busiest routes.