Baleària completes acquisition of Armas Trasmediterránea assets in the Canary Islands. Baleària has officially taken control of Armas Trasmediterránea’s routes and fleet in the Canary Islands. The company will retain jobs and invest €45 million in upgrading ferry services. The group becomes the largest player in the maritime transport market between the islands and the mainland.
Baleària has completed a key stage in the acquisition of Armas Trasmediterránea's assets in the Canary Islands. The company now controls all domestic routes in the archipelago, as well as lines connecting the Canaries with mainland Spain. As a result of the merger, the group’s workforce will reach 4,500 employees, and the fleet will exceed 50 vessels. According to Baleària, total annual passenger flows will surpass 8 million people, and the cargo line volume will exceed 11 million meters. The anticipated revenue for the combined entity is over 1 billion euros.
Over the next three years, Baleària plans to invest 45 million euros in the development of transportation in the Canary Islands. The funds will be directed toward upgrading vessels, increasing digitalization, and improving passenger comfort. The company emphasizes that it will retain all staff transferred from Armas Trasmediterránea and intends to work closely with local authorities, port administrations, and the region’s business community.
A separate brand, Baleària Canarias, has been established for operations in the archipelago. During the transition period, it will be used alongside the Armas Trasmediterránea brand. As Baleària president Adolfo Utor notes, the new structure will enhance the efficiency of the entire national maritime transport network, as well as strengthen transport links between the Canary and Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. In addition, the company is exploring new opportunities to develop connections with Morocco and Algeria.
The deal is structured by geographic zones: in the Canary Islands, the process has already been completed, while in the Strait area and the Alboran Sea, a number of formal procedures still need to be completed. It is important to note that Baleària is not the only company changing its strategy in the Spanish transport market: earlier, Ford announced plans to move Bronco production to Valencia and launch new models for Europe. More on this in the article about the automaker's plans for development in Spain.
For reference: Baleària is one of the largest maritime transport operators in Spain, operating on both domestic and international routes. Armas Trasmediterránea previously held a leading position in the Canary Islands. The merger of assets between the two companies could change the balance of power in the passenger and freight market between the islands and the mainland. In recent years, Spain’s transport sector has been actively investing in fleet renewal and digital solutions to improve service quality and resilience against market fluctuations.
