The Spanish ferry operator Acciona Trasmediterranea has been granted two-year licences by Balearic Port Authority to operate passenger handling services in all major ports in Mallorca, Ibiza, and Mahón, Alan Lam reports.
It is the first commercial company to be granted such licences in the Balearic Islands, covering both cruise and ferry calls.
Trasmediterranea has already commenced services in Ibiza on 21 July under these licences; in the coming days they will be extended to Mahón, Palma de Mallorca and Alcúdia.
The port authorities wanted a commercially viable company with experience to provide these services. In order for these licences to be issued, potential bidders needed to prove that they had sufficient manpower and other resources to fulfill this role. The specified conditions included the ability to supervise embarkation, baggage handling, and provisions for disabled passengers, among others.
Cruise Business comment – For years Trasmediterranea, as well as operating ferries, has been aggressively expanding its business to include the theoretically lucrative port side services, particularly to cruise ships and passengers. This latest development represents a huge stride in its effort in this direction and a significant contribution to the group’s overall revenue for the next two years.