DFDS has formalized an agreement with Naviera Armas to acquire the mixed passenger and cargo ferry Tamasite Volcano, which will join its operations on the Algeciras-Tangier Med maritime route starting in mid-November. The operation, announced this Thursday by the Danish company, will allow to expand the transport capacity of its service between the south of the Peninsula and Morocco, with the addition of a third vessel to its fleet in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The acquisition comes after DFDS has obtained the relevant authorizations from the Spanish and Moroccan Competition authorities. In addition to the vessel, the agreement includes the transfer of the operating permits associated with the route, as part of the process of reorganizing Naviera Armas' assets in the maritime connections of the Strait.
The Tamasite Volcano has capacity to transport 1,469 passengers and 1,414 linear meters of rolling cargo, characteristics that will allow DFDS to expand its offering of passenger and cargo transport on the connection between the ports of Algeciras and Tangier Med.
The vessel is already familiar with the operational conditions of this line, where it has provided service for several years under the management of Naviera Armas. Its incorporation to DFDS is scheduled for mid-next month, although the company has not yet communicated a specific date for the start of operations or the schedule of frequencies it will have assigned.
The CEO of DFDS, Michael Hansen, has related the operation to the commercial and passenger activity taking place between both shores of the Strait. “The Strait of Gibraltar is an important connection for trade and travel, and we expect to continue providing service in the area with greater capacity. This will allow for greater flexibility and better connections for both cargo and passenger transport,” he noted.
For his part, the General Director of DFDS for the Strait of Gibraltar, Ronny Moriana Glindemann, explained that the acquisition will provide greater capacity to organize services and meet the transport needs of its customers.
“The addition of a third vessel to our fleet strengthens our position in the Strait of Gibraltar and provides us with greater flexibility to respond to the transport needs of our customers. It will also allow us to continue developing our operations and respond to the growing demand in the coming years,” he stated.
The purchase of the vessel is part of the operation to acquire certain assets of Armas-Trasmediterránea that was reviewed by the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC). The Spanish body authorized the concentration on July 29, in the second phase and with commitments and conditions, after analyzing its effects on the markets for passenger and rolling cargo maritime transport in the connections of the Strait.
The investigation identified potential competition issues, particularly on the Algeciras-Ceuta line, due to the reduction in the number of operators that could occur as a result of the operation.
As explained by the CNMC in September, the commitments initially presented by DFDS were insufficient to resolve these risks. For this reason, the authorization was conditioned on the transfer to a third operator of the necessary elements to maintain Armas' activity on the Algeciras-Ceuta route.
This condition specifically affects the connection with the autonomous city and is part of the regulatory framework within which the acquisition of assets from the Spanish shipping company takes place. The agreement announced now by DFDS refers to the Tamasite Volcano and the permits associated with the Algeciras-Tangier Med route.
The Danish company maintains a regular maritime transport activity for passengers and cargo in the Strait of Gibraltar. According to data provided by the shipping company itself, its routes in this area accumulate more than 10,000 annual crossings, serving both travelers and transport companies and logistics operators.
Among the main goods using these services are horticultural products, automotive parts and components, textiles, and various types of industrial and specialized cargo.
These traffics are part of the supply chains that connect production and distribution centers in North Africa with European markets through the ports of Algeciras and Tangier Med, using rolling cargo maritime services for the transport of trucks, semi-trailers, and other transport units.
The addition of the Tamasite Volcano will allow DFDS to have three ferries for its operations in the Strait starting in mid-November, according to the schedule announced by the company. The shipping company has not detailed the economic amount of the acquisition nor possible modifications of schedules and frequencies resulting from the entry into service of the new vessel.
