Baleària Takes Full Control of Armas Transmediterránea

Baleària will invest €45 million over the next three years in the Canary Islands to “raise the quality, digitalisation and comfort” of the acquired fleet.

Baleària has taken effective control of Armas Transmediterránea’s assets in the Canary Islands, covering both inter‑island routes and connections between the mainland and the archipelago.

With this operation, the resulting group will total nearly 4,500 employees and a fleet of more than 50 vessels. The combined annual traffic is expected to exceed 8 million passengers and 11 million linear metres of cargo, generating consolidated revenue of over €1 billion, according to a Baleària statement.

The acquisition integrates three historic Spanish maritime lines: Trasmediterránea (founded in 1916), Armas (1941) and Baleària (1998). The merger “not only cements” Baleària as the leading regular maritime carrier in Spain, but also “positions it as one of the reference ferry operators in Europe,” both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Baleària will invest €45 million over the next three years in the Canary Islands to enhance the quality, digitalisation and comfort of the newly acquired fleet.

The company also guarantees the retention of the entire incorporated workforce and commits to work in close collaboration with institutions, port authorities and the island’s social and economic agents.

“We are talking about essential infrastructure for territorial cohesion with the Canary and Balearic archipelagos, as well as the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and a key bridge for political and commercial relations with Morocco and Algeria. We are a nationally‑owned company capable of guaranteeing sovereignty in a strategic sector for the country,” said Adolfo Utor, president of Baleària.

Utor highlighted the strategic significance of the deal, stating that the new Baleària “is ready to ensure the efficiency of the entire national maritime transport network across all its territories.”

As part of the integration, the company has created the Baleària Canarias brand under which it will operate in the archipelago. During a transitional period, the new brand will coexist with the Armas Transmediterránea livery.

The acquisition agreement was announced last August. The overall transaction is structured across three geographic zones; once the Canary Islands phase is completed, formal procedures for the Strait of Gibraltar and Alborán areas will follow.