Baleària and AmendTec’s innovative collaboration is revolutionizing the maritime industry by providing real-time position and AIS data visualization for their own fleet and nearby ships. With this cutting-edge technology, Baleària has gained a strong position in safety management and decision-making from the coast.
Baleària has taken safety and decision-making to new heights with their innovative ‘control tower’. This tower visualizes real-time data collected from the AmendTrack’s and other sensors of their vessels, including vessel positions, fuel consumption, emissions, and calculated ETA’s. With this data analysed and readily available, Baleària can make informed decisions and manage safety more effectively than ever before.
In 2022, Baleària transported 4.7 million passengers, 1.2 million vehicles and over 7 million lane metres of cargo.
The company recorded a turnover 42% higher than in 2021, at EUR 563 million, and EBITDA was up 36% at EUR 140 million.
Baleària celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023 and these are the best ever figures in the company’s history.
The President of Baleària, Adolfo Utor, commented;
“Baleària has obtained historic revenues of EUR 563 million thanks to great marketing efficiency and effort and to the hard work and commitment of all teams”. He also described as “historic” the Result of EUR 67 million, 34% more than the previous year.
In 2022 Baleària invested EUR 61 million in fleet development. This was mainly in new eco-efficient vessels under construction.
Photo: Baleària
It has been widely reported that Baleària has agreed to charter the so far unused ro-pax HONFLEUR. This was the ferry built by Flensburger Shipyard, refused by Brittany Ferries due to excessive delays, and then completed by Fosen Yard.
The vessel has been idle at Gdynia for almost a year, since work on her was completed. It is reported that the ship will be in Spain by the end of March and is to be chartered for six months with an option to buy afterwards.
With an LNG compatibility, it seems a natural match for Baleària, one of the leading LNG ferry operators.
The ship has started displaying the name RUSADIR on AIS. Rusadir was an ancient Punic and Roman town at what is now Melilla, Spain, suggesting that the ship is likely to be used on Baleària’s services to North Africa.
The President of Baleària, Adolfo Utor, has publicly stated the company’s interest “in a future acquisition of Naviera Armas in the event that the current owners put it up for sale”.
The company would be particularly interested in Armas’ Canaries inter-island traffic, where Baleària currently isn’t present.
However, the acquisition is said to be third place in Baleària’s priorities, below the expansion of the company’s Caribbean operation and the fleet renewal strategy.
Naviera Armas is expected to be offered for sale at some stage following recent restructures which have largely placed control of the company with banks.
Photo: Naviera Armas
Baleària and Fred. Olsen Express added chartered roro vessel CADENA 4 to the service between Huelva and the Canary Islands.
The former COLOR CARRIER left Huelva for the first time on Sunday morning 22 January 2023.
This service is added to the two departures that ropax MARIE CURIE already makes.
More freight on the roro frees up space for passengers on the ropax.
The joint venture transported 43,500 passengers in 2022, 44% more than last year.
Source: Baleària press release in Spanish and own sources
As of 5 November 2022, roro ship SHIPPER will be added to the route jointly operated by Fred. Olsen and Baleària. (Between the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands).
The new service is a response to the increase in two types of cargo:
To the Iberian Peninsula: perishable products
To the Canary Islands: in freight transport during the Christmas period
The new service will be added to the two departures made by ropax MARIE CURIE to date, so carriers will have 3 weekly departures.
SHIPPER will depart from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. and from Huelva on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m.
The connection with other islands will be done with the fast ferries of Fred. Olsen.
From the beginning of summer 2023, Balearia will link Ibiza and Formentera with the first electric ferry in Spain with zero emissions during stays and approaches to port.
CAP DE BARBARIA will be launched September 28th at the Armón shipyard in Vigo and will have the athlete Andrea Romero, from Formentera, as godmother.
The new ferry will be able to transport 14 trucks and 350 passengers with a very tight energy consumption, without emitting polluting gases in port thanks to its electric propulsion.
