By
Michele Witthaus |
Four years on from the departure of former long-term business partner the Matutes family in 2021 and the move to 100 per cent shareholding by the company’s president Adolfo Utor, Baleària continues to grow its presence in the competitive Mediterranean ferry marketplace and has big ambitions for the future.
One major focus for Baleària is a public-private initiative linking Spain and Morocco that includes an investment of more than €150 million ($176 million) for the construction of two electric fast ferries, along with the electrification of the ports and the charging system.
“This is an ambitious project through which we are taking on the challenge of transforming the Tarifa-Tangier line into an international benchmark for modern and eco-friendly mobility, after winning the tender issued by the Port Authority Bay of Algeciras (APBA) to manage the route for the next 15 years,” says Georges Bassoul, CEO of Baleària. “We are in the pre-construction phase of shipbuilding, which will be carried out at the Spanish shipyard Armon and is expected to take about two and a half years.”
He says the project is aligned with Baleària’s innovation and sustainability values, as well as with its commitment to the regions involved, with the potential to unite two countries with a close historical relationship. “One of our objectives is to act as a catalyst for the economy, boosting local employment and stimulating an increase in economic, tourist and cultural activity, both in Tangier and in Andalusia.”
An artist’s impression of a Baleària ferry being developed for the new Spain-Morocco route
In addition to APBA and Tangier City Port, other bodies participating in the project include national and international engineering and energy companies such as Cotenaval, Endesa, Amendis and Incat Crowther.
The design of the new ships is similar to that of Baleària’s two natural gas fast ferries that operate in the Balearic Islands. With capacity for 804 passengers and 225 vehicles, they will be able to reach a maximum speed of 26 knots and will be highly manoeuvrable. A T-Foil system will be installed on each vessel to reduce vertical movement, while two high-capacity ramps at the stern will speed up operations and manoeuvres in port.
“Each vessel will have an electric power output of 16 megawatts, provided by four electric thrusters powered by batteries with a capacity of 11,500 kilowatt hours, enabling them to complete the entire 18-mile crossing using exclusively electric propulsion and resulting in an annual reduction of 44,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions,” says Bassoul. He says this will enable fully decarbonised journeys, meeting the company’s 2050 emissions targets as early as 2027.
The batteries of the fast ferries will be fully recharged during a one-hour stopover in each city. “Storage systems with batteries of eight megawatt hours (gross) each will be installed in the two ports,” says Bassoul. “This is in addition to the terrestrial electricity supply.”
Natural gas-powered ferry Margarita Salas was built at Armón shipyard and has been operating high-speed services between the Spanish ports of Mallorca and Barcelona
Charging will take place using innovative autonomous robotic arms, which will be connected to the vessels via the onshore power system, with recharging taking just 40 minutes.
The project is the latest stage of Baleària’s 2017-2028 sustainable fleet plan, which has already seen the arrival of the electric ferry Rusadir and the gas-powered fast ferry Margarita Salas in 2024. Overall, the company plans to invest more than €1 billion ($1.17 billion) in 11 ships with dual gas engines (both newbuilds and refits), four electric propulsion ships and four eco fast ferries.
“Thanks to the use of natural gas and electric propulsion, and operational measures aimed at improving fuel efficiency, in 2024 we emitted 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide less than the previous year, despite sailing more,” says Bassoul. “For every passenger transported, we have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by almost 10 per cent.”
After the launch in September 2025 of Baleària’s third fast ferry powered by natural gas, and its entry to service in 2026, work will start on the two fast ferries destined for the Tangier route. Meanwhile, the company will continue its ongoing research into alternative fuels for the future, such as biofuels, as part of its strategy to decarbonise by 2050.
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