DFDS Withdraws from the Ceuta Line Including the Catamaran “Villa de Agaete” and Will Only Keep the Tangier Med Route

The Danish company DFDS has withdrawn from the Algeciras-Ceuta line package, along with the catamaran “Villa de Agaete,” and will only retain the Algeciras-Tangier Med route, where it has been present since acquiring FRS Iberia. Everything indicates that it does not agree with the conditions imposed by the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC), as had recently been reported in the sector.

When the closure of the Tangier Med operation is finalized, it will include the ferry “Volcán de Tamasite,” a 22-year-old ship from Naviera Armas, which is expected to be renamed and flagged in Cyprus.

After six months of study, the Competition Authority adopted a resolution on July 29 approving the operation, although with a series of commitments and conditions for DFDS, the content of which has not been disclosed due to a confidentiality agreement, although it may be known by the end of this month. The company has informed its staff of the status of the matter through an internal circular.

For now, the service covered by the catamaran “Villa de Agaete” on the Algeciras-Ceuta line is operated by a subsidiary of the Armas Trasmediterránea Group called Caflaja, managed by a very small group of bondholders' representatives, and it is unclear what the outcome will be, at a time of particular complexity for the maritime services of the Autonomous City. The most likely scenario is that the mentioned catamaran will be sold in the short term, maritime media suggest.

Photo: Álex Marrero (shipspotting.com)