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Tag: Baleària | Ferry Shipping News

Dec 06
2

Baleària Welcomes Confirmation of the Award of Berth Number 3 at the Port of Tarifa

By | 2024 Newsletter week 49 | No Comments

Baleària has been awarded the ferry operation between Tarifa and Tangier City by the Board of Directors of the APBA (*).

Baleària had already declared victory on 18 November, but this was only confirmed on 30 November by APBA.

  • Baleària will operate berth number 3 in the Port of Tarifa, as well as the corresponding check-in facilities and vehicle boarding areas.
  • Contract 15 years.
  • Baleària plans to build two electric fast ferries, electrify the ports and install charging devices.
  • Shipyard: Astilleros Armon Shipyards.
  • Construction time: 2.5 years.
  • During this period two transitional fast ferries: AVEMAR DOS (to be re-engined) and JAUME I.

The public tender, launched in February 2024 by the APBA, also included the participation of the shipping companies FRS Iberia Maroc-DFDS and Sercomisa (Trasmapi – Insotel Marine Group)

(*) APBA = Autoridad Portuaria Bahía de Algeciras – Port of Algeciras

Source: Baleària

Oct 04
2

Baleària Expands Routes to Algeria, Enhancing Spain-Algeria Maritime Connections

By | 2024 Newsletter week 40 | No Comments

Baleària is set to expand its services to Algeria, introducing new routes progressively over the coming weeks.

These new connections will provide greater diversity in both the Spanish ports of departure (Valencia and Barcelona) and the Algerian destinations (Algiers, Oran, and Mostaganem). Baleària, which has been operating in Algeria since 2016, currently offers a weekly service between Valencia and Mostaganem.

Starting on 18th October, Baleària will add a second weekly connection between the port of Valencia and Algiers, complementing its existing service to Mostaganem.

By the end of December, the company plans to offer three weekly departures by introducing a new route between Valencia and Oran.

Furthermore, from 15th January, Baleària will establish a brand-new service connecting Barcelona and Algiers, in addition to maintaining two weekly connections from Valencia – one fixed to the capital, Algiers, and the other alternating weekly between Oran and Mostaganem.

Remark: newco Nouris Elbahr Ferries is about to start operations between Algeria and the European Continent with chartered CRACOVIA.

Jul 12
2

Baleària incorporates Margarita Salas, new high-speed ferry with dual gas engines on the Barcelona-Mallorca-Menorca route

By | 2024 Newsletter week 28 | No Comments
  • Margarita Salas will operate daily throughout the year on the 3.5-hour crossing between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands 
  • The catamaran increases the seats available on the high-speed service by 50% while reducing the carbon footprint on the route thanks to being LNG- powered. 
  • Baleària has invested 126 million euros in the construction of the vessel which can hold 1,200 passengers and 425 vehicles. 
  • Leading international experts (Wärstilä, Incat Crowther, Bureau Veritas and Marintek-Sintef) and national partners (Cotenaval, Oliver Design and Jorge Belloch) were involved in the construction of this groundbreakingly sustainable catamaran, which received funding from CaixaBank and European Union Next Generation Funds, as part of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM).  

 Source: Baleària (in Spanish) 

May 17
2

“Operación Paso del Estrecho 2024”: Baleària schedules 27 daily connections with 10 ships

By | 2024 Newsletter week 20 | No Comments

Baleària has announced plans for the 2024 “Operación Paso del Estrecho” (OPE), scheduling 27 daily connections with 10 ships to meet the high demand. The routes will connect Algeciras, Almería, Motril, and Málaga with Tánger, Nador (Morocco), Ceuta, and Melilla. This operation will utilize nearly a third of Baleària’s fleet, comprising eight ferries and two high-speed vessels.

The service includes 15 daily connections to Morocco, with 12 from Algeciras to Tánger Med, one from Motril to Tánger Med, and two from Almería to Nador. Additionally, Baleària offers 12 connections to Ceuta and Melilla, including 10 daily services between Algeciras and Ceuta, and two connections from Málaga, Motril, and Almería to Melilla.

Baleària has tailored its services to cater to Moroccan passengers by providing Arabic and French-speaking staff, halal food, prayer rooms, and customer support in Arabic.

Source: Baleària (in Spanish)

Feb 23
1

RoRo vessel Eurocargo Sicilia to Baleària

By | 2024 Newsletter week 08 | No Comments

RoRo vessel Eurocargo Sicilia is reportedly transitioning from Grimaldi to Baleària’s fleet, following RoPax Ciudad de Mahon. While no official confirmation has been received from the Naples-based group, sources and accompanying imagery suggest that the vessel, built in 1998, is undergoing a bareboat charter with a purchase obligation to the firm controlled by Adolfo Utor.

Eurocargo Sicilia, formerly known as Finnmaster during its deployment with Finnlines, boasts a cargo capacity of 1,775 lane meters and has been actively serving the Porto Torres – Genoa maritime route over the past 12 months.

Details regarding the sale and charter prices remain undisclosed.

Feb 02
1

Grimaldi charters CIUDAD DE MAHON to Baleària

By | 2024 Newsletter week 05 | No Comments

The 2008-built RoPax ferry CIUDAD DE MAHON, owned by Trasmed Grimaldi, will move to Spanish competitor Baleària on a bareboat charter that is understood to last 5 years.

The ship’s capacity is for 1,000 passengers and 1,500 lane metres of RoRo cargo and cars.

In the recent past CIUDAD DE MAHON has been deployed on the routes linking the Spanish mainland (Valencia and Barcelona) with the Balearic Islands, in particular Ibiza.

At present it is unknown how Baleària plan to use the vessel.

Photo: Grimaldi Trasmed

Jan 12
0

Fred. Olsen Express and Baleària add second ship to the Canary Islands route

By | 2024 Newsletter week 02 | No Comments

As of 13 January 2024, RoPax SICILIA will be added and will serve alongside RoPax MARIE CURIE.

The connection goes from two to three weekly trips from each port, both for cargo and passenger transport.

The service will have departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Meanwhile, from Huelva these routes will be made on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Jan 06
0

Baleària buys the hybrid ferry RUSADIR

By | 2024 Newsletter week 01 | No Comments

Baleària has purchased the cruise ferry RUSADIR after completing more than half a year of charter on the Malaga – Melilla route.

The ferry was originally built as HONFLEUR for Brittany Ferries.

The power comes from LNG or MDO and drives an electric propulsion system.

Baleària considers LNG a transition towards decarbonization. The company says it prepared to operate with renewable sources that are neutral in CO2 emissions.

Jul 07
0

Baleària plans to stop emitting almost 80,000 tonnes of CO2 by the end of the year thanks to the use of LNG

By | 2023 Newsletter week 27 | No Comments

In recent weeks, Baleària has increased the consumption of natural gas on its 10 dual-fuel engined ships to 100%.

The shipping company estimates that this will allow it to stop emitting around 80,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere between June 1st and the end of the year.

In October 2021, in order to avoid becoming less competitive, the shipping company continued to use this cleaner energy only on port entries, approaches and stays.

It should be noted that, despite the temporary reduction in the use of gas due to the adverse circumstances, Baleària maintained its commitment to this fuel, which enables CO2 emissions to be reduced by up to 30%.

As a result, Baleària has added two more gas-powered vessels to its fleet, having completed the retrofit of the HEDY LAMARR in 2022, and chartering the RUSADIR, a RoPax equipped with an electric propulsion system powered by dual natural gas engines, this spring.

Baleària considers LNG to be the cleanest and most mature currently available for maritime transport. Furthermore, their ships are technologically prepared to consume either 100% biomethane or synthetic methane, as well as green hydrogen mixtures of up to 25%, although these CO2-neutral renewable energies are unfeasible at the moment due to their cost and availability.