Canary Islands’ ferry operator, Fred.Olsen Express ended 2024 carrying more than 3.7 mill pax, opened a new connection between Tenerife and El Hierro, plus welcomed the arrival of two new cargo ships.
In total, the company made 22,500 trips -up by 3%- during 2024, its 50th anniversary, between islands, carrying over 1 mill vehicles.
The two new freight ro-ro vessels now connect Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
“As part of our commitment to be flexible and always offer the best services and options to our users, this year we have also invested in two new vessels for our fleet.
With the ‘Buganvilla Express’ we reinforced the route between Playa Blanca, in Lanzarote, and Corralejo, in Fuerteventura, while with the ‘Barlovento Express’ fast ferry, we did the same in the connection between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Morro Jable, on the island of Fuerteventura.
Actions that show that, after half a century at the service of the Canary Islands, this company continues to be committed to innovating and updating its facilities, to provide the best user experience,” claimed Fred.Olsen Express’ fleet director, Juan Ignacio Liaño.
During 2024, Fred.Olsen Express made an important commitment to its freight transport service with the incorporation of two ro-ro vessels exclusively for cargo.
This initiative was launched to guarantee supply and connections between Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Tenerife.
Thanks to the incorporation of these new vessels, the shipping company has been able to transport more than 1.3 mill linear m of cargo, which translates into more than 950,000 tonnes of goods, 18% more than in 2023.
These volumes include food products, parcels, packaging, glass, textiles and dangerous goods, among others.
To close its anniversary year, Fred.Olsen Express resumed its route between El Hierro and Tenerife on 31st December.
“Reconnecting the island of the Meridian with Tenerife is just one example of our firm commitment to being the bridge that unites the archipelago. A mission for which we set new goals every year,” Liaño added.
The refurbished ’Bentago Express’ is the main ship on this new route, which offers 16 weekly connections in winter (eight from each port) and 20 in summer.
During the year, Fred. Olsen Express took advantage of renewing its collaboration with Canarian universities for the protection of marine fauna, and continued to promote initiatives related to awareness and care for the environment, such as the coastal clean-up days with Terramare Medioambiente, the educational workshops on board with the Fénix Canarias association, or the collaboration in the First Voyage to protect the Cory’s shearwater.
In addition, the company won an award in the innovation category from theopPORTunity Awards.
This award highlighted its participation in a pioneering project at an international level, together with Aeromarine and its represented SEA.
AI, which combines thermal cameras and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the detection of floating objects during navigation.
“This 2024 has been a new impetus to continue working to offer a quality and excellent service, committed to the environment. This is something we do through our project ‘In Harmony with the Sea’, where we combine more than 70 measures focused on caring for the environment, as well as the different investments in fleet and new technologies, which allows us to continue advancing in making our activity increasingly respectful of the environment and to remain at the forefront of blue initiatives within the international maritime sector,” Liaño concluded.
