Adolfo Utor, president of Baleària, spoke yesterday about the opportunity that the "relocation" of companies from Asia to Africa can bring to maritime transport. He maintained that “these are trades to be developed, since large industries are being created and this relocation to North Africa will be good for many things, including solving social problems. We will be aware of all this, ”he said.
It is now one of the strategic markets for the company, which yesterday presented "historic results", with a turnover of 563 million euros, 42% higher than in 2021. The company's Ebitda also grew and stood at 140 million euros, an increase of 36%.
With 67 million profit, the results presented yesterday in Dénia consolidate the company as the company that operates the most passengers in Spain, with a significant flow of them from Dénia, where it adds more passengers than in Barcelona or Valencia.
In both cities, the projected passenger terminals are pending subjects for the future, although the one in the port of Valencia is particularly advanced and it is expected, as confirmed, that construction works are to begin in six months.
Among the milestones of this year, and to reinforce the transport of goods, the shipping company opened a new route between Motril and Tangier last year. It also consolidated its growth in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea, as well as in the Canary Islands, where it increased weekly departures from two to three. Baleària's first international route was the Algeciras-Tangier route in 2003, while they entered Algeria in 2016 with a route between Valencia and Mostaganem.
In addition to Africa, Baleària's commitment also looks to the Caribbean, where in 2011 they started with a first route between the United States and the Bahamas and where today they have their own brand, Balearia Caribbean.
Growing in these territories and continuing to renew the fleet are the challenges of the shipping company, which in 2022 has invested 61 million euros in the fleet, both in improvements to the ships and in having a more efficient fleet.
In this sense, Adolfo Utor pointed out yesterday the launching of what will be the first electric ferry, the "Cap de Babaria", which in May will begin to make the Ibiza-Formentera route in approximately one hour. The other ferry currently being built in the Gijón shipyards is the Margarita Salas, which honors the Asturian scientist, disciple of Severo Ochoa and teacher of María Blasco, also from Alicante.
If anything, in third place would be the priority of taking over the shipping company Armas Transmiterránea, an issue on which the shipping company spoke yesterday to questions from the media. He ruled out that taking over the company was "a priority", but said that if the conditions are met, there would be an operation. “If they get within range, we'll be there,” he said.
Utor, whose company is committed to local suppliers, also reported on the ties to the territory: 77.8% are local. It frames this investment in auxiliary industry and local companies in the cash flow item, estimated at 697 million euros, of which 415 million are allocated to social, cultural and sustainability activities through its Foundation.
Last year there were 415 actions, a fact that "is important because it is the effect that our activity has on the social providers linked to the territory", remarked the businessman.
