Balearia buys the vessel 'Scandola'

Balearia has purchased the ro-pax vessel 'Scandola', which is currently undergoing dry dock in Marseille, where a more powerful bow thruster is being installed and improvements are being made to its accommodation. This vessel was chartered by Trasmediterránea and assigned to the Valencia-Ibiza route until February 27, when it was delivered to its owner at the port of Valencia.

Although the vessel's owner, Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation, attempted to sell it to Trasmediterránea, the Spanish shipping company showed no interest, and the buyer has been Balearia. It is possible that it will replace the Greek ferry 'Nissos Chios', which is currently docked in Gibraltar. It is still unknown whether the new acquisition will retain the same name and the Cypriot flag.

Built at the Van der Gissen shipyard in Noord (Netherlands), it entered service in June 1992 under the name 'Vía Ligure' and the flag of the Italian shipping company Viamare di Navigazione. It belongs to a series of seven units, including the vessel 'Levante', which has also been chartered by Balearia.

Between 1994 – the year it was adapted for passenger traffic at the Perama shipyard – and 1999, it served the Greek company Strintzis Line – it was acquired in ownership in 1996 – renamed 'Ionian Star', and in February 1999 it was purchased by the aforementioned Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation and received the new name 'Scandola'.

It is a vessel of 19,400 gross tons and 5,535 deadweight tons, with a hull measuring 150.43 m in overall length, 23.40 m in beam, and 6 m in draft. It is powered by two Sulzer 8ZAL40S engines, with a power output of 11,520 kW over two shafts, and maintains a speed of 18 knots. It has capacity for one thousand passengers and 1,900 linear meters for rolling cargo. IMO Code 9019054.

Photo: Manuel Hernández Lafuente