{{Short description|Spanish passenger ferry company}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Baleària | logo = 160px|Balearia logo | caption = | type = Private | genre = | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | founded = {{Start date and age|1998|06}} | founder = | defunct = | hq_location = Dénia, Alicante, Spain | num_locations = | area_served = Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, Morocco, Grand Bahama, Florida (USA) | key_people = Adolfo Utor, CEO | industry = Shipping, transportation | products = | services = Passenger transportation, Freight transportation | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = {{increase}} 2,500 {{small|(2023)}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eleconomista.es/transportes-turismo/noticias/12710505/03/24/baleria-factura-652-millones-pero-reduce-beneficio-un-40-por-la-inversion-en-barcos-y-el-euribor.html|title=Baleària factura 652 millones pero reduce beneficio un 40% por la inversión en barcos y el euríbor|date=7 March 2024|website=El Economista (Spain)|author-first=Ángel|author-last=C. Álvarez|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref> | parent = Baleària Eurolíneas Marítimas S.A. | divisions = | subsidiaries = | website = {{URL|https://www.balearia.com}} | footnotes = | intl = }}
'''Baleària''' is the trading name of the Spanish shipping company '''Baleària Eurolíneas Marítimas S.A.''' The company operates passenger ferry services in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Seville|first1=Richard|title=Mediterranean Ferries|date=2009|publisher=Ferry Publications|location=Ramsey, Isle of Man|isbn=9781871947984}}</ref>
==History== {{Expand section|date=May 2026}} In August 2025, Baleària reached an agreement with Naviera Armas to take over the Trasmediterranea operations in the Canary Islands and the Alboran Sea, as well as some across the Strait of Gibraltar. The company would receive control of 15 ferries, several routes, and staff. This was subject to approval from the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) of Spain.<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-08-25 |title=Baleària finalises the agreement to acquire Armas Trasmediterránea |url=https://www.shippax.com/en/news/baleria-finalises-the-agreement-to-acquire-armas-trasmediterrnea.aspx |website=Shippax |access-date=2026-05-31}}</ref>
In March 2026, the CNMC approved the deal, but highlighted competition risks in the Canary Islands. Baleària was forced to both end a joint ownership agreement with Fred Olsen Express for the route between Huelva and the Canary Islands and reopen the route between Morro Jable and Las Palmas.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bosworth |first=Alan |date=2026-03-31 |title=Spain's competition regulator approves Balearia acquisition of Armas assets |url=https://www.bairdmaritime.com/passenger/ferry/spains-competition-regulator-approves-balearia-acquisition-of-armas-assets |website=Baird Maritime |access-date=2026-05-31}}</ref>
In May 2026, Baleària took over the operations in the Canary Islands under the Baleària Canarias brand.<ref>{{cite web |date=2026-05-18 |title=Baleària takes effective control of Armas Trasmediterránea in the Canary Islands |url=https://www.shippax.com/en/news/baleria-takes-effective-control-of-armas-trasmediterrnea-in-the-canary-islands.aspx |website=Shippax |access-date=2026-05-18}}</ref>
==Routes== In the Mediterranean region, Baleària provides domestic ferry services within Spain to the Balearic Islands from the ports of Dénia, Valencia and Barcelona. The company also operates international services across the Strait of Gibraltar, connecting Algeciras with Ceuta and Tangier.
In North America, Baleària operates regular international ferry services between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, and Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, and Bimini in the Bahamas.<ref>{{cite web |language=it |url=https://www.ship2shore.it/it/a-balearia-quel-che-resta-di-armas-trasmediterranea |title=Baleària gets what's left of Armas Trasmediterránea |website=Ship2Shore |access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |language=it |last=Capuzzo |first=Nicola |url=https://www.shippingitaly.it/2025/08/25/naviera-armas-cede-linee-e-navi-a-dfds-e-balearia-un-traghetto-a-liberty-lines/ |title=Naviera Armas hands over routes and ships to DFDS and Baleària, one ferry to Liberty Lines |website=Shipping Italy |date=25 August 2025 |access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref> The company operates in the U.S. under the name Baleària Caribbean.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ferryroutes.com/caribbean-sea/|title=Caribbean Sea Ferry Route Map|website=ferryroutes.com|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
==Fleet== ===Current vessels=== thumb|260px|''Martin i Soler'' thumb|260px|''Jaume I'' As of December 2024, Baleària operates a fleet of 34 vessels: {{table alignment}} {| class="wikitable sortable col2center col3center" border="1" ! scope="col" width="150pt"| Name ! scope="col" width="80pt"| Built ! scope="col" width="80pt"| Entered service ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | ''Abel Matutes'' ||align="Center" | 2010 || align="Center" | 2010 || Named after politician Abel Matutes |- | ''Avemar Dos'' ||align="Center" | 1997 || align="Center" | 2008 || |- | ''Bahama Mama'' || align="Center" | 2010 || align="Center" | 2010 || ex. ''SF Alhucemas''; sister ship of ''Ciudad de Mahón'' |- | ''Cap de Barbaria'' || align="Center" | 2023 || align="Center" | 2023 || |- | ''Cecilia Payne'' || align="Center" | 1999 || align="Center" | 2018 || Named after astronomer Cecilia Payne |- | ''Ciudad de Mahón'' || 2008 || 2024 || On charter from Trasmed; sister ship to ''Bahama Mama'' |- | ''Dénia Ciutat Creativa'' || align="Center" | 1992 || align="Center" | 2016 || |- | ''Eco Aire'' || align="Center" | 2018 || align="Center" | 2018 || |- | ''Eco Aqua'' || align="Center" | 2018 || align="Center" | 2018 || |- | ''Eco Lux'' || align="Center" | 2018 || align="Center" | 2018 || |- | ''Eco Terra'' || align="Center" | 2018 || align="Center" | 2018 || |- | ''Eleanor Roosevelt'' || align="Center" | 2021 || align="Center" | 2021 || Named after Eleanor Roosevelt
|- | ''Formentera Direct'' ||align="Center" | 1987 || align="Center" | 2014 || |- | ''Hedy Lamarr'' ||align="Center" | 2010 || align="Center" | 2011 || Named after actress/inventor Hedy Lamarr. |- | ''Hypatia de Alejandría'' || align="Center" | 2019 || align="Center" | 2019 || Named after scientist Hypatia; sister ship to ''Marie Curie'' |- | ''Jaume I'' ||align="Center" | 1994 || align="Center" | 2005 || Named after King James I of Majorca |- | ''Jaume II'' ||align="Center" | 1996 || align="Center" | 2006 || Named after King James II of Majorca |- | ''Jaume III'' ||align="Center" | 1996 || align="Center" | 2007 || Named after King James III of Majorca |- | ''Kerry'' ||align="Center" | 2001 || align="Center" | 2019 || |- | ''Margarita Salas'' || align="Center" | 2023 || align="Center" | 2024 || Named after scientist Margarita Salas |- | ''Marie Curie'' || align="Center" | 2019 || align="Center" | 2019 || Named after physicist Marie Curie; sister ship to ''Hypatia de Alejandría'' |- | ''Martín i Soler'' ||align="Center" | 2008 || align="Center" | 2008 || Named after composer Martín y Soler |- |''Mercedes Pinto'' || align="Center" | 2025 || align="Center" | 2026 || Named after writer Mercedes Pinto |- | ''Nápoles'' ||align="Center" | 2002 || align="Center" | 2015 || Sister ship to ''Sicilia'' |- | ''Nixe'' ||align="Center" | 2004 || align="Center" | 2004 || |- | ''Passió Per Formentera'' ||align="Center" | 2009 || align="Center" | 2009 || |- | ''Pepita Castellví'' || align=center | 2010 || align=center | To enter service in summer 2026<ref>{{cite web |date=27 February 2026 |title=Baleària amplía su flota de alta velocidad con la adquisición de un trimarán |url=https://www.balearia.com/es/sala-prensa/notas-prensa/balearia-amplia-flota-alta-velocidad-adquisicion-trimaran?redirect=/es/sala-prensa/notas-prensa |trans-title=Baleària expands its high-speed fleet with the acquisition of a trimaran |website=Baleària |language=Spanish |location=Spain |access-date=3 March 2026}}</ref> || Named after oceanographer Josefina Castellví |- | ''Poeta López Anglada'' ||align="Center" | 1984 || align="Center" | 2012 || |- | ''Ramón Llull'' || 2003 || 2003 || Named after humanist Ramon Llull |- | ''Regina Baltica'' ||align="Center" | 1980 || align="Center" | 2015 || |- | ''Rosalind Franklin'' || 1989 || 2025 || Named after scientist Rosalind Franklin |- | ''Rusadir'' || 2018 || 2023<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-16 |title=Brittany Ferries' cancelled Honfleur as Baleària's Rusadir |url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/special-feature-brittany-ferries-cancelled-honfleur-as-balearias-rusadir/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=niferry.co.uk - News and Information Ferry Site |language=en-GB}}</ref> || |- | ''Sicilia'' ||align="Center" | 2002 || align="Center" | 2015 || Sister ship to ''Nápoles'' |- | ''Tom Sawyer'' ||align="Center" | 2001 || align="Center" | 2023 || |- | ''Virot'' ||align="Center" | 1973 || align="Center" | 2016 || |- | ''Visborg'' || 2000 || 2023 || On charter from Destination Gotland |- | ''Wasa Express'' ||align="Center" | 1981 || align="Center" | 2022 || On charter from United Marine Egypt (UME) |}
In 2025, Baleària launched the fast ferry ''Mercedes Pinto'', its third vessel equipped with dual-fuel natural gas engines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lavozdeibiza.com/actualidad/balearia-estrena-en-gijon-el-fast-ferry-mercedes-pinto-como-seguir-en-directo-la-botadura/|title=Baleària estrena en Gijón el fast ferry ‘Mercedes Pinto’: cómo seguir en directo la botadura|date=19 September 2025|language=es|website=La Voz de Ibiza|author-first=Marina|author-last=Camiolo|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elcomercio.es/economia/botadura-gijon-armon-fast-ferry-balearia-mercedes-pinto-20250919180439-ga.html|title=Armón bota en Gijón el 'Mercedes Pinto', tercer 'fast ferry' construido para Baleària|date=September 19, 2025|language=es|author-first=J.|author-last=M. Pardo|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
===Past vessels=== *HSC Al Sabini *MS Bahia de Malaga - Sold to Kada Denizcilik Turism, renamed ''Med Dream'' *MS Bahia de Ceuta - Sold to Nova Ferries, renamed ''Ilha Azul'' *MS Borja *MS Borja Dos *MS Breant *MS Clipper Racer *MS Espalmador *HSC Federico Garía Lorca - Sold to Conferry, renamed ''San Francisco de Asís'' *MS Guido *MS Hoburgen *MS Isla de Botafoc - Sold to Ventouris Ferries, renamed ''Bari'' *MS Isla de Ibiza *MS Meloodia *HSC Nixe 2 - Sold to Excalibur International Marine, renamed ''Ocean Lala'' *MS Pau Casals *MS Posidonia - Sold to Caremar, renamed "Nereide" *MS Rólon Sur *MS Sonia *HSC Maverick Dos *HSC Pinar del Rio - crashed in Denia in August 2019, scrapped. *MS Posidonia sold to Medmar in 2023
==Incidents== On 16 February 2012, the high-speed ferry ''Maverick Dos'' ran aground while on passage from Ibiza Town to Formentera. The vessel was carrying 21 passengers and 6 crew members at the time. There was one injury, but all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hancock |first1=Paul |title=Maverick Dos - Shipwreck Log |url=https://shipwrecklog.com/log/2012/02/maverick-dos/ |website=Shipwreck Log |publisher=shipwrecklog.com |access-date=29 October 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.balearia.com}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balearia}} Category:Ferry companies of Morocco Category:Ferry companies of Spain Category:Transport companies established in 1998 Category:1998 establishments in Spain