Acciona Trasmediterránea

Acciona Trasmediterránea is part of the Acciona group. It operates passengers and cargo ferries between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, northern Africa, and Portsmouth in the UK.

History

The Trasmediterránea ("cross-mediterranean") company was constituted on November 26 1916 with the fusion of the companies of shipowners José Juan Dómine, Vicente Ferrer, Joaquín Tintoré and Enrique García, though it didn't start operating until January 1 of following year. It was hearquartered in Barcelona and had a fleet of 45 ships.

During the Spanish Civil War, its ships were used as auxiliar navy ships by both sides of the conflict.

In 1978, it became a state-owned company, until it was privatized by the PP government in 2002. The SEPI sold the company to a consortium that consisted of Acciona Logística (60%), Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo, Compañía de Remolcadores Ibaizábal, Agrupación Hotelera Dóliga, Suministros Ibiza and Naviera Armas. Later, the company changed its name to Acciona-Trasmediterranea. Currently it operates a fleet of 25 ships and its headquarters are in Madrid.

From 1921 to 1998, when the sector was liberalized, it had the monopoly on the lines that linked the mainland Spain with the islands and northern Africa. Today, even as it has lost its monopoly and has competition, Trasmediterránea its still leader in its sector.

Company activity

The company's activity is structured in four zones:
* Mediterranean: regular lines, in both directions, from:
**Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Mahón.
**Valencia to Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Mahón.
* South-Strait: regular lines, in both directions, from:
**Algeciras to Ceuta and Tánger (Morocco)
**Alicante to Oran (Algeria).
**Almería to Ghazaouet (Algeria), Melilla and Nador (Morocco).
**Málaga to Melilla.
* Canarias: regular lines, in both directions, from:
**Cádiz to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de la Palma and Arrecife.
**Arrecife to Cádiz, Las Palmas and Puerto del Rosario.
**Las Palmas to Arrecife, Morrojable, Puerto del Rosario, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santa Cruz de la Palma.
**Santa Cruz de la Palma to Arrecife, Cádiz, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
**Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Arrecife, Cádiz, Las Palmas, Morrojable and Santa Cruz de la Palma.

Trasmediterránea has its own maritime stations in Barcelona, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Valencia.

* United Kingdom: Previously operated regular lines, in both directions from:
** Bilbao to Portsmouth (service now discontinued).

hip types

Trasmediterránea uses three kinds of ships:
* High-speed ships: Jet-Foil (the first was commissioned in Canarias in 1980), Fast-Ferrys (since 1995) and Catamarans (since 2000).
* Ferries: series Canguro and Super Ferrys. Ro-pax vessels also used with a series currently on order.
* Cargo ships: Ro-Ro and Super Fast class, which can transport big vehicles and heavy machinery.

External links

* [http://www.trasmediterranea.es/ Acciona Trasmediterránea official website]
* [http://www.acciona.es/ Acciona corporate website]