Transmediterranean
Trasmediterránea, whose corporate name is Compañía Trasmediterránea, S.A., is the leading Spanish shipping company, belonging to the Naviera Armas group from the Canary Islands. Since 1917 it has connected the main ports of the peninsula with extra-peninsular Spain, Algeria and Morocco.
From 2002 to 2018 its main shareholder was Acciona, and in 2018 Acciona's shares passed to Grupo Armas, becoming its majority shareholder.
Currently it manages more than twenty ships (24) (ferries, high-speed and cargo ships) on 26 routes and has its own maritime terminals and stations.
History
Foundation and early years
Founded by Juan March, it was established on November 25, 1916 and began its activity in 1917 with the contributions of fleets from different Spanish shipping companies. The founding objectives were to unite interests and coordinate national maritime transport services, provide outlets for the export of Spanish minerals and fruits, and reduce services to those strictly essential to be able to dedicate a ship to overseas imports. The corporate headquarters were located on Vía Layetana in Barcelona.
The component of founding directors was made up of Narciso Campmany Sandiumenge, Ramón Oller Boch, Joaquín María Tintore Punyed, Enrique García Corrons, Ignacio Vilavecchia, Pedro Poggio, Vicente Antonio and Manuel Ferrer Pesset, Gonzalo de Figueroa O`Neill, José Campos Crespo, Salvador Canals, Salvador Raventós Clivilleu, Juan Izquierdo Alcaide, José María Carrau Juan, Carlos Hernández Lázaro, Francisco la Roda Matoses, Manuel García del Moral y de la mata, Ernesto Anastasio Pascual and José Juan Dómine.
In 1924, the Trasmediterránea company was involved in the founding of the Levante Naval Union, based in Valencia.
Under state control
In 1978 the transition from a private to a public company took place, with 93.15% of the share capital in the State portfolio through the National Institute of Industry.
The 1980s was marked by the incorporation of high-speed passenger transport with the first Jet-Foils (Princesas Guayarmina and Princesa Guacimara) that revolutionized communications between the two capitals of the Canary Islands; and the Hydrofoils that also sailed in the Strait.
In the 1990s, construction began in the Bazán shipyards of the first Fast Ferry, the fastest and lightest passenger and vehicle ship in Europe in those years (in 1994 the Alcántara operated the Tarragona-Palma, Ibiza-Palma and Valencia-Palma lines, and in 1996 the fast ferry Almudaina joined Barcelona-Palma).
Decentralization of the company's activity takes place in areas -Baleares, Sur Estrecho and Canarias-.
In 1994 the ship Don Juan began to make cruises in the western Mediterranean and the Atlantic (Canary Islands, Madeira and Morocco) through the company Schembri, of the Trasmediterránea group.
In 1996 the company was certified on the basis of ISO 9001 Quality Standards; Three years earlier, it had obtained the certification of the Fleet Safety and Technical Management System, which makes Trasmediterránea the first Spanish shipping company certified in terms of Quality.
In 1997, the company's first maritime station was inaugurated in Barcelona, followed by those in Valencia and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
In 2000 the Superferries Sorolla and Fortuny joined the Balearic Islands lines, and in 2001 the ship Murillo. The incorporation of the most modern high-speed vessels begins, the Milenium series catamarans to the communications of the Balearic Islands and Sur Estrecho, and in addition to passengers and vehicles they offer an express service for cargo.
Also starting in the year 2000, new passenger and cargo markets Almería-Nador (Morocco) and Almería-Ghazaouet (Algeria) were opened.
On January 11, 2002, Trasmediterránea was awarded the tenders to provide maritime line services of public interest for the next five years, which for the first time was carried out by facades: peninsula-Balearic Islands, peninsula-Canary Islands and peninsula -Ceuta and melilla.
Take Action
In July 2002, the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI) awarded 95.24 percent of the shipping company to the offer led by Acciona for an amount of 259 million euros.
In 2003, Trasmediterránea Cargo began its activity, which adds value to the traditional activity of maritime transport, with a comprehensive “door-to-door” service for loading, storage and road transport that embarks on the company's vessels.
In 2006 Trasmediterránea achieved ISO 14001 Environmental Management certification for the maritime transport of passengers, their vehicles and rolled cargo.
In November 2006, the Milenium Tres, coming from Tasmania, arrived in Algeciras and a few days later performed in Malaga and Melilla.
In 2009 the new Barcelona Ferry Terminal was inaugurated, operated by Trasmediterránea under a concession until the year 2029, which provides service to the company and other shipping companies.
In 2010, the new largest Roll-on Roll-offs on the market, built in Navantia, Jose Maria Entrecanales and Super Fast Baleares, joined the cargo fleet.
Also in 2010, the operation of the port of the city of Tangier was changed to the new port of Tangier-Med, considerably reducing the journey from Algeciras.
In 2011 the new Trasmediterránea Ro-Ro and Passenger Terminal was inaugurated in Cádiz.
In August 2012, the Cruise Unit was created to strengthen the cruise operator and consignee activity that the company develops in the Port of Valencia, where it has served more than 3.5 million cruise passengers in the last twelve years.
In 2012 and 2013, agreements were signed with the main Canarian groups (Coplaca and Agriten) of banana producers to transport all their production by sea to the peninsula and the Balearic Islands, until 2017. And with Gefco for the transport of their vehicles to Balearic and Canary Islands. The new Seville-Canary Islands cargo and Valencia-Ibiza cargo and passenger lines are opened in 2012. And in 2013 the logo change occurs.
Trasmediterránea has been a pioneer in offering an intermodal ticket for maritime and road transport. The most recent event in this area has been the agreement, in January 2014, with Movelia to integrate their systems and allow the sale of combined Bus+Boat tickets from the two companies.
On December 16, 2014, Mario Quero -naval engineer, M.B.A. from UNED and Executive Master at ESADE- who brings solid professional experience and knowledge of the company.
On April 28, 2015, the chartered ship Sorrento that covered its usual route between Valencia and Palma suffered a serious fire on board that forced the evacuation of all passengers and crew. When she was 18 miles off the coast of Majorca-less than an hour after setting sail from the port of Palma-a fire broke out on deck number 4, used for rolling cargo. The evacuation occurred thanks to the collaboration of Salvamento Marítimo and the shipping company Baleària, the direct competition. The first ships to attend were the Marta Mata and the Salvamar Acrux (Salvamento Marítimo) and the Ro-pax Visemar One and Puglia (Baleària)., which collected all the passengers and crew from the burned-out ship, taking them to the port of Palma. Only 4 people were injured, one seriously, who was transferred to the Son Espases Hospital in Palma by means of an SM Helimer helicopter. Fortunately, the fire could be extinguished before the material damage to the ship ended with the sinking. The ship was initially towed by the Clara Campoamor, one of the largest Maritime Rescue vessels that moved from Cartagena (its base port), to the port of Sagunto (Valencian Community), where the shipping company that owns it (the Grimaldi Lines group) settled. took care of him.
Weapons Shipping Company
On October 25, 2017, Naviera Armas bought, for 260 million euros, 92.71% of the shares of Trasmediterránea, which were owned by Acciona. In addition, it had to face a debt of 127 million that it had the company. On May 23, 2018, the National Market and Competition Commission approved the sale of said shares, and Grupo Armas (Naviera Armas) became its majority shareholder, changing its logo.
Connections
Trasmediterránea operates routes in the Canary Islands and South-Strait strips.
Canary Islands
- Cadiz-Arrecife-Cádiz
- Cadiz-Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (via Arrecife)
- Cadiz-S.C. de Tenerife (via Las Palmas)
- Cadiz-S.C. de La Palma (via Arrecife, Las Palmas de G.C. and S.C. Tenerife)
- Cadiz-Fuerteventura- (via Arrecife, Las Palmas de G.C., S.C. Tenerife and S.C. de La Palma)
- Arrecife-Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Arrecife-S.C. Tenerife (via Las Palmas de G.C.)
- Arrecife-S.C. de La Palma (via Las Palmas de G.C. and S.C. de Tenerife)
- Arrecife-Fuerteventura (via Las Palmas de G.C.*, S.C. de Tenerife and S.C. de La Palma)
- Las Palmas de G.C. -S.C. Tenerife
- Las Palmas de G.C. -S.C. de La Palma (via S.C. Tenerife)
- Las Palmas de G.C. -Fuerteventura
- Las Palmas de G.C. –Arrecife (via S.C. Tenerife, Fuerteventura)
- Las Palmas de G.C. -Cádiz (via Fuerteventura and Arrecife)
- S.C. Tenerife-Las Palmas de G.C.
- S.C. Tenerife-S.C. La Palma
- S.C. Tenerife-Fuerteventura (via Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
- S.C. Tenerife-Arrecife (via Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura)
- S.C. Tenerife-Cádiz (via Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote)
- S.C. La Palma-S.C. Tenerife
- S.C. La Palma-Las Palmas de G.C. (via S.C. Tenerife)
- S.C. La Palma-Puerto Rosario –Fuerteventura- (via S.C. Tenerife and Las Palmas de G.C)
- S.C. La Palma-Arrecife (via S.C. Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Puerto Rosario, Fuerteventura)
- S.C. La Palma-Cádiz (via S.C. Tenerife, Las Palmas de G.C., Fuerteventura and Arrecife)
- Fuerteventura-Arrecife
- Fuerteventura-Cádiz (via Arrecife)
South-Strait
- Algeciras-Ceuta
- Algeciras-Tánger-Med (Morocco)
- Almería-Melilla
- Almería-Ghazaouet (Algeria)
- Almería-Nador (Morocco)
- Almeria-Oran (Algeria)
- Malaga-Melilla
Fleet
Fast Ferries
- City of Ceuta (old Millenium Two)
- Almudaina Dos
- Alcantara Two
- Villa de Agaete (old Alborán)
Superferries
- City of Granada (old Sorolla)
- Autonomous City of Melilla (old Fortuny)
Ferries
- Juan J. Sister
- Mahon City (old Zurbarán)
- City of Malaga
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Almariya
- City of Palma (old “Dimons”)
- Ibiza City (old "Super Fast Galicia and former Alcudia Watcher")
Cargo Ships
- Villa de Tazacorte
- Super Fast Levante
- Super Fast Baleares (currently rented)
Retired ships
- Nura Nova (Fletado en 2017 para la línea Ciudadela-Alcudia, en la que yaperó desde 1998 con la naviera (Iscomar), fletado por Trasmediterranea. Sold to Gestour in 2019.
- City of Cadiz (former Albayzin), sold in 2019
Liveries
Depending on the ownership of the company and the corresponding corporate image, the ships have had different liveries
Free with INI
Trans-Mediterranean Network
Free with Naviera Armas
