Baleària’s future-proof fast ferry caps off docking tests

Spanish ferry operator Baleària has wrapped up the first docking tests of the fit-for-future fast ferry Avemar Dos in the Port of Tarifa.

Avemar Dos, an 82-meter-long catamaran that can board up to 900 passengers, was reportedly retrofitted to keep up with the maritime industry’s increasing sustainability-oriented efforts, as well as regulations. The vessel is said to produce much less harmful pollutant emissions owing to its engines, which the company shared were “modernized.”

According to the company, the completion of the docking trials comes in the wake of Baleària finalizing the launch of its operations on the Tarifa-Tangier Ville route, which is due to commence from early May this year.

The maritime transportation player is believed to currently operate more than 40 vessels, eleven of which feature dual-fuel engine technology, which allows them to operate on a number of clean fuels or carbon-neutral renewable energy sources. For instance, among the company’s environmentally friendly ships are the 123-meter-long liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered fast ferries Eleanor Roosevelt and Margarita Salas.

In January 2025, Baleària also revealed the design of a pair of 100% electric, zero-emission fast ferries that are due to operate on the first green corridor between Spain and Morocco on the Tarifa-Tangier Ville route.

As informed, the all-electric catamaran duo is set to be constructed at the Armon shipyard in Gijón over the next two and a half years. Baleària was awarded the contract by the Algeciras Bay Port Authority (APBA) in November last year to manage the Tarifa-Tangier Ville line for the next 15 years.

The APBA prioritized technical and environmental criteria in rewarding the first intercontinental green line.

In addition to this, Baleària has participated in projects involving biofuels, such as biomethane and bioLNG, and has explored the application of other sustainable energy sources, such as green hydrogen, as part of its overarching climate neutrality target set for 2050.