Balearia Renames 'Dénia Ciutat Creativa' for the Ship 'Scandola'

Balearia plans to incorporate the newly acquired ship “Dénia Ciutat Creativa” into the Barcelona-Ciutadella route starting May 30. It will have a daily rotation and will double service with the ship “Martín i Soler,” increasing frequencies and capacity for the upcoming high season.

The shipping company reports that it is investing one million euros to refurbish the ship, which until recently sailed under the name “Scandola” and is currently undergoing repairs in Marseille, where a more powerful bow thruster is being installed along with improvements to its facilities.

This ship 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 ship's owner, Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation, intended to sell it to Trasmediterránea, the Spanish shipping company showed no interest, and the buyer has been Balearia.

The decision to rename it “Dénia Ciutat Creativa” is a recognition of this Alicante city, the company's headquarters, as a UNESCO World Heritage site in the category of gastronomy, awarded at the end of 2015. It flies 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 ship “Levante,” which is also chartered by Balearia and operates on the Algeciras-Tanger Med route.

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 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 ship 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 of 11,520 kW over two shafts, and maintains a speed of 18 knots. It has capacity for one thousand passengers – of which, 250 in 85 cabins – and 1,850 linear meters for rolling cargo (121 cars and 141 trailers). IMO Code 9019054.

Photo: Balearia