Baleària presented the ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’ fast ferry in Dénia today at 12pm, a symbol of its commitment to eco-efficiency and innovation. It is the first fast ferry in the world with natural gas engines, which has been operating the Dénia-Ibiza-Palma route since May 1st.

The event was attended by the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig, and the Mayor of Dénia, Vicent Grimalt.

The pioneer fast ferry Eleanor Roosevelt of Baleària has been presented in the port of Denia. About 200 representatives of different stakeholders of the shipping company in the Valencian Community have been able to visit the first fast ferry in the world with dual natural gas engines. Since May 1st, this sustainable and innovative catamaran has been connecting Ibiza with Palma and Dénia.

The host of the event, the president of the shipping company, Adolfo Utor, was accompanied by the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig, the president of Puertos del Estado, Francisco Toledo, the mayor of Dénia, Vicent Grimalt, and the CEO of Astilleros Armon, Laudelino Alperi. The event, which has been carried out with the recommended security measures, has included a visit by groups to the new ship of the shipping company.

“The Eleanor Roosevelt is the best synthesis of universality, modernity and commitment to the territory, the best evidence that we are a company with a green heart and sustainable spirit,” said Adolfo Utor, president of the shipping company. Utor emphasized the company’s commitment and involvement with the Balearic Islands: “As a logistics and maritime mobility company, we have never ceased, not even for a single day, to be at the port to facilitate the movement of people and the supply of goods and merchandise”.

Finally, he affirmed that Baleària’s strength is efficiency and competitiveness, in a strategy at the service of the customer and sustainability, as well as its commitment to the territories and their people.

Defender of women’s rights
Ximo Puig, President of the Valencian Community, emphasized that Baleària represents the Valencian industrial and logistic fabric: “It is fundamental for the Valencian economy and I want to thank it for the effort it makes to connect the Valencian Community with the Islands”. In addition, he said “New ships must be absolutely linked to the energy transition and decarbonization and, therefore, I think it is very good news that the Eleanor Roosevelt meets these conditions. Also, I want to congratulate the company for the choice of the name, a great person and absolute feminist at a time when it was very difficult to defend women’s rights.”

“We are a city of the sea, and it is exciting for us to see docked in our port a ship like the new fast ferry Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest in the world, and the first to introduce, at high speed, natural gas as fuel, which allows the reduction of C02 emissions,” said the mayor of Denia, Vicent Grimalt. “The innovation of the Eleanor Roosevelt makes us know that in this sea that we regard as part of our identity, modernization and sustainability fit, and the size of this new ship tells us that we are a great port”, he concluded.

For his part, Francisco Toledo, president of Puertos del Estado, has recognized “the work that Baleària is developing” with its commitment to gas. “That Baleària, today, has 7 ships powered by liquefied gas says a lot about its innovative character, but even more relevant is its firm commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, which we at Puertos del Estado promote and share with the entire Port Community. To assume these challenges is to bet on the future of our society, and an incentive for our companies to be more competitive”.

The shipping company has invested 90 million euros in this fast ferry with capacity for 1,200 passengers and 450 cars, which has cafeterias and children’s area, a free digital entertainment platform, video surveillance of pets, Internet, among others. In addition, it has high-tech innovations to offer a comfortable crossing and spacious and bright spaces. The Eleanor Roosevelt is the seventh Baleària vessel to use natural gas, a fuel that reduces polluting emissions, which are monitored thanks to the measuring equipment and sensors installed on board, as part of a project co-financed by the European Commission’s CEF funds.

The Eleanor Roosevelt, a pioneer in world maritime transport, has been built at the Armon shipyard in Gijón, with the participation of leading international (Wärstilä, Incat Crowther, Bureau Veritas and Marintek-Sintef) and national (Cotenaval, Oliver Design and Jorge Belloch) collaborators in their fields, and has been financed by CaixaBank.

About Baleària

Baleària is the leading shipping company in passenger and cargo transport in connections with the Balearic Islands, and also links Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands with the mainland. Internationally, it offers services to Morocco, Algeria and the Caribbean (between the United States and the Bahamas).

The shipping company is a global pioneer in the use of natural gas: in 2019 it was the first to sail with this cleaner energy in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. Baleària’s gas fleet will reach 9 ships this year, between new constructions and re-motorizations, with an investment of 380 million. The company is committed to putting technology at the service of its customers in its smart ships and the use of big data to improve efficiency.

Baleària defines itself as a responsible corporate citizen, which has taken on the United Nations 2030 Agenda as the roadmap that guides its activity in the areas of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

In 2020, Baleària carried more than 2,150,000 passengers and 5,743,000 linear metres of cargo on the 29 ships in its fleet. The company, which employs more than 1,500 people, had a turnover of 342 million euros.

Report by 24/7 Valencia team
Article copyright 24/7 Valencia

More information: https://www.balearia.com/en