Trasmediterránea Celebrates Its Centenary in Cartagena

Trasmediterránea participated in the III National Maritime Congress, held at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (Murcia), where it announced the celebration of its Centenary during 2017. The presentation about the Company featured the honorary president of the Spanish Maritime Cluster, Federico Esteve Jaquotot, who also served as president of the shipping company from 1978 to 1987; naval researcher and historian Juan Carlos Díaz Lorenzo, as a guest speaker with the title "Trasmediterránea, 100 Years in the History of Spain"; and the Director of Institutional Relations of Trasmediterránea, Rafael Montes Caracuel.

In addition to the participants at the III National Maritime Congress, the presentation on Trasmediterránea's Centenary – moderated by the president of the Royal Naval League of Spain, Juan Antonio Díaz Cano – was also attended by the General Director of the Merchant Marine, the admirals of Maritime Action and the Cartagena Arsenal, and other naval officers.

After the first day concluded, attendees enjoyed a gala dinner held at the Naval Officers' Club of the Cartagena Navy, where Trasmediterránea presented commemorative plaques to various personalities related to the sector. The commercial director of the Company, Miguel Pardo, also participated in this event.

The General Director of the Merchant Marine receives a commemorative plaque

The president of the Royal Naval League, Juan Antonio Díaz Cano and Rafael Montes Caracuel

Trasmediterránea aims to remain a leading company in regular maritime transport of passengers and goods. The company operates a fleet of 21 vessels (ferries, high-speed, and cargo). In 2015, it experienced a growth in passenger traffic of around 4%, with nearly 2.5 million passengers and 5.7 million linear meters of cargo, a 3.4% increase compared to the previous year.

In January 2017, Trasmediterránea will celebrate 100 years of presence in the regular maritime transport sector of passengers and goods, continuously operating throughout these years on routes connecting the Peninsula with the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla, Morocco, and Algeria.

On November 25, 1916, Compañía Trasmediterránea was born in Barcelona, the result of the vision of a group of shipowners who decided to combine their resources and efforts to survive in a challenging scenario, where the Spanish merchant marine was going through one of its most significant crises.

In the establishment of Compañía Trasmediterránea, led by José Juan Dómine, were the Compañía de Vapores Correos de África, the Sociedad Línea de Vapores Tintoré, Ferrer Peset Hermanos, and S.A. Navegación e Industria. They contributed a total of 44 ships, the shipyard Talleres Nuevo Vulcano, and an extraordinary human capital, which allowed them to begin their voyages on January 1, 1917. In 1918, Isleña Marítima and La Marítima, Compañía Mahonesa de Vapores joined. The newly established company reached New York in 1920.

An important factor in the development of Trasmediterránea was the establishment of the Unión Naval de Levante (1924), which for many years was a clear national reference in the construction of passenger ships and oil tankers, as well as an important shipyard for naval repairs.

The First New Construction Plan led to the incorporation between 1927 and 1933 of 14 new ships, to which two more were added in 1935, built in the Krupp (Germany), Ansaldo (Italy), Unión Naval de Levante, Echevarrieta and Larrinaga, La Naval, and Euskalduna (Spain) shipyards.

Among the journeys that have gone down in the company's history is the university cruise during the Second Republic, of the ship “Ciudad de Cádiz” to Tunisia, Malta, Egypt, Palestine, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, organized by the Free Institution of Education with the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the Central University.

During World War II, routes to Argentina and New York were made, as well as more distant ones, such as the one made in 1946 by the ship “Plus Ultra” to the Philippines. The historical travel list of Trasmediterránea also includes the journey made by the ship “Ciudad de Toledo” as a Floating Exhibition of Spanish industry in 1956 and the six trips of the ship “J.J. Sister” with the program “Aventura 92” of Miguel de la Cuadra Salcedo.

A lifetime of innovation has also been reflected in the construction of new series. From the late 1940s, with the ships “Ciudad de Alcira” and “Ciudad de Salamanca”, followed in the next decade by the ships “Victoria”, “Virgen de África”, “Ciudad de Barcelona”, “Ciudad de Burgos”, “Ciudad de Huesca”, “Ciudad de Teruel”, “Ciudad de Cádiz”, and “Ernesto Anastasio”, among others, and later, in the 1960s, the “Albatros” and “Cormorán” series and the ships “Villa de Bilbao” and “Ciudad de Pamplona”, as well as the pelican series destined for the Canary Islands.

The 1970s marked the beginning of a new era, with the construction, at the Unión Naval de Levante shipyard, of the ferries “J.J. Sister” and “Manuel Soto” and the second-hand purchase in Finland of the ships “Ciudad de La Laguna” and “Villa de Agaete”.

Another significant date is 1978, with the nationalization of Trasmediterránea, led by Federico Esteve Jaquotot. During this period, a new contract was signed with the State, a significant fleet renewal took place, and the roll-on/roll-off traffic between the Peninsula and the Canary Islands began, and in 1980 the revolutionary “jet-foil” arrived.

This period was followed by the development of the Mestral project, an investment by the Spanish shipbuilding industry in high-speed ships through “deep U” monohull vessels built at the E.N. Bazán shipyard (Cádiz). The 21st century began with the super-ferries “Sorolla”, “Fortuny”, and “Murillo”, the first “Super-Fast” for roll-on/roll-off cargo and high-speed catamarans.

After a period of 25 years in the public sector, in July 2002, the privatization of Compañía Trasmediterránea was completed, with Acciona as the majority shareholder, embarking on a new phase in which new ships have been incorporated, including the largest roll-on/roll-off vessels in the Spanish merchant marine, “José M. Entrecanales” and “Super-Fast Baleares” (2010). Since 2015, Mario Quero Gil, in his role as managing director, has been leading Trasmediterránea's course.

Photos: Laureano García and Trasmediterránea