Baleària unveils its latest addition to the fleet in Ceuta: the innovative fast ferry Margarita Salas

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• Baleària president Adolfo Utor highlighted the company’s commitment to Ceuta, where it has operated for almost 20 years

Baleària unveiled the latest addition to its fleet in Ceuta this afternoon: the fast ferry Margarita Salas, an example of the shipping company’s commitment to innovation and the environment. The vessel is part of a series of five next-generation Baleària catamarans powered by more sustainable energy sources, two of which are already in operation: the Margarita Salas and the Eleanor Roosevelt. The company is building a third vessel with similar features which, like its predecessors, will be equipped with dual-fuel gas engines. The series will be completed with the construction of two smaller, zero-emission electric fast ferries. The five fast ferries, built at the Armon shipyards in Asturias, are expected to be completed by 2028.

The presentation was held on board the fast ferry Margarita Salas, which operated the high-speed route between Ceuta and Algeciras from last Friday until today. Around one hundred representatives of Baleària’s stakeholder groups attended the event, including the president of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas; the Spanish government delegate in Ceuta, Cristina Pérez; and the Ceuta harbour master, Francisco Sierra. In addition, the director of the Ceuta Port Authority, Adolfo Orozco, presented a commemorative plaque to the captain of the fast ferry Margarita Salas, Alberto Platero, to mark the catamaran’s first call at the autonomous city.

“We have been committed to Ceuta and its residents for almost two decades, demonstrating our dedication to service and our commitment to quality and the continuous improvement of the fleet every day,” said the shipping company’s president, Adolfo Utor. “With more than one million passengers a year between Ceuta and Algeciras, we are the leading company in terms of service quality and number of sailings,” he added. Utor also highlighted the role of the Baleària Foundation, which works with nearly 70 local organisations in Ceuta to organise and promote sporting, social, cultural and environmental initiatives.

“We took advantage of our newest vessel’s technical stop in Cádiz to bring it to Ceuta and showcase the standard of comfort, innovation and onboard services that we want to continue developing in the new vessels we are building,” Utor explained. The president also stated that the company is planning “the construction of two electric fast ferries for nearby Tarifa, with a design similar to the Margarita Salas but smaller in size”. These new vessels, which will take two and a half years to build, will enable the shipping company to operate the first green corridor between Spain and Morocco.

For her part, the Spanish government delegate, Cristina Pérez, stressed that “investing in renewable energy and the environment means investing in the future and in new generations”. “We would like to thank Baleària for its firm commitment to Ceuta, as well as for recognising the role of women in society through the name of this vessel,” Pérez added.

The president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, stated that “Baleària is financially sound, efficient and innovative, and provides a guarantee that this essential service will be delivered”, since “maritime transport is essential to the development of territories and is vital to social progress in Ceuta”. Vivas also congratulated the shipping company on its “extraordinary human capital”, adding that “when Baleària grows in quality and volume, it is good for Ceuta”.
 

Features of the Margarita Salas

The fast ferry Margarita Salas, which has capacity for 1,200 passengers and 425 vehicles, has been operating in the Balearic Islands since last summer. It is one of the company’s highest-rated vessels, with a satisfaction score of 8.8. It has two passenger decks with spacious, bright and comfortable interiors, different accommodation options (standard and premium seats and private lounges), and digital services. It can reach a service speed of 35 knots and features technical innovations to reduce movement, minimise vibrations and noise, and improve passenger comfort. The vessel is named in tribute to biochemist Margarita Salas, a leading figure in Spanish science for her research in the field of molecular biology. The vessel’s financing included support from the European Union’s NextGenerationEU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).