The fast ferry Fairweather, moored in the commercial port of Sant Antoni, has been sold by the IMG group – Trasmapi’s parent company – to the Greek shipping company Seajets, according to Ferrybalear. The transaction, which is part of the group’s strategy to maximize the profitability of assets acquired at auction, represents the loss of the only wildcard vessel that the company used on an ad hoc basis in Ibiza when it needed to reinforce or replace units during mandatory lay-ups.
In recent years, IMG has repeatedly restructured its fleet. First it incorporated the Fairweather, the Chenega and an engine from Alaska, and now it has opted to divest itself of the former after updating it and increasing its capacity to 400 passengers and 65 vehicles. This sale is not an isolated case: the group had previously disposed of an Incat 045 fast ferry that was never operated, a pattern that shows that IMG is quick to adjust its fleet when it detects market opportunities. The departure of the Fairweather thus adds to a dynamic of asset turnover that directly affects the availability of standby vessels.
Consequences for operations in the Balearic Islands
In Ibiza, the Fairweather acted as an occasional replacement, ensuring continuity of service when another unit was due for scheduled maintenance. Its departure means that Trasmapi loses the only in-house resource capable of handling peak demand or covering unforeseen events, adding operational pressure to a network that depends on seasonal stability and strict compliance with dry-docking schedules. Menorca Lines – also operated by IMG – maintains unchanged the Chenega as the centerpiece of the Alcúdia-Ciutadella route, where the project is consolidated. But the absence of the Fairweather reduces the group’s maneuvering to balance the fleet between the Balearic Islands and other markets.
The impact on Ceuta Lines, a still conditioned project
The restructuring of assets also affects Ceuta Lines, the brand with which the IMG group aspires to enter as a new operator on the Ceuta-Algeciras route, a line currently covered by three shipping lines and subject to heavy regulation. The project is still not operating commercially and remains pending the resolution of the CNMC, which must define the competition framework in the Strait before authorizing any stable deployment.
In this scenario, the company now lacks a replacement vessel comparable to the Incat 045 fast ferry – sold before entering service – and the departure of the Fairweather adds a new constraint. Without a fast unit available in reserve, the actual start-up of Ceuta Lines will depend on new acquisitions and on how the regulatory board is configured, which will determine the terms and conditions for any new operations in the area.
A high-speed ferry with secondary market value
Built in 2004 by Derecktor Shipyards (USA), the Fairweather measures 71.75 meters in length, 18.6 meters in beam and has a draft of 2.65 meters, data confirmed by Ferrybalear. The vessel, registered in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, has undergone recent upgrades that have made it an attractive asset for high-speed markets. Its sale to Seajets confirms the international interest in this type of unit, especially in island networks where seasonal rotation is intense.
