Image source: Naucher Global
Shipping News Network消息, according to foreign media reports, Danish shipping and logistics group DFDS and Spanish ferry operator Baleària have recently reached a strategic acquisition agreement to jointly take over the core operations of the established shipping company Armas Trasmediterránea. The transaction involves an amount exceeding 480 million euros, covering the comprehensive integration of vessels, routes, terminal facilities, and human resources, and is expected to reshape the shipping landscape in the Western Mediterranean-North Africa region.
Specifically, Armas Trasmediterránea has signed binding agreements with Baleària and DFDS respectively through its holding company Bahía de las Isletas. Baleària will acquire all business activities in the Canary Islands, Iberian Peninsula, Algeria, and Alboran Sea regions, including key ferries such as the “Volcán de Teno”, terminal facilities at key ports, offices, and employees. DFDS will acquire the operational assets and employees of the Gibraltar Strait sector, including two ferries such as the “Volcán de Tamasite”, as well as terminal concessions in Ceuta and Tangier Med.
Additionally, the company’s ferry “Fortuny” was separately sold to Italian shipowner Liberty Lines in July.
In terms of revenue levels, in 2024, its inter-island routes in the Canary Islands and routes from the Canary Islands to the Iberian Peninsula and across the Alboran Sea to Algeria generated approximately 420 million euros (about 400 million USD) in revenue, while the Gibraltar Strait routes generated approximately 66 million euros (about 77 million USD) in revenue.
Currently, these two sale transactions have been approved by shareholders and creditors. Final completion is still subject to review by competition regulatory authorities and is expected to be fully completed by the first quarter of 2026. Industry insiders point out that this acquisition may trigger a realignment of the freight rate system on Western Mediterranean routes, and the competitive dynamics of the Algeciras-Ceuta-Tangier triangle route, in particular, will also undergo significant changes.
Naviera Armas Trasmediterránea CEO Sergio Vélez stated, “This step consolidates our future in the operational region and demonstrates our ability to transform and continuously improve. This transaction helps the company join a larger project, which will bring new opportunities for employees and partners.”
Baleària President Adolfo Utor emphasized that signing these agreements will enable them to “take the baton from the historic Armas Trasmediterránea, which has deep roots in the Canary Islands, and through the synergies generated between Baleària and it, ensure stability and territorial cohesion with a more competitive local shipping company.”
Public information shows that Baleària’s “Mercedes Pinto”, under construction at the Armon shipyard in Gijón, Spain, has made new progress. This vessel, equipped with dual-fuel natural gas engines and batteries, will enter service at the end of 2025, effectively reducing port consumption and emissions.
DFDS has expanded its capacity in the Strait of Gibraltar and has deployed the two newly acquired ferries on the routes from Algeciras to Tangier Med and Ceuta. Mathieu Girardin, Head of the Ferry Division at DFDS, said: “Since entering the Strait of Gibraltar ferry market in 2024, its growth rate has exceeded our expectations. The two ferries we purchased are already in operation, and we expect a smooth transition and a significant improvement in service levels.”
Meanwhile, DFDS has also expanded its service coverage on Baltic ferry routes through a slot charter agreement signed with TT Line. According to the agreement, the company will increase the number of sailings between the Port of Klaipėda and the Port of Karlshamn and introduce new services for Trelleborg and Travemünde.
