Ferry problems

The damaged ramp in the bow of the ferry 'Volcan de Taburiente'  (Image: Felipe San Luis )

The ferry 'Volcan de Taburiente' which is owned and operated by the Canarian ferry company Naviera Armas and presently serves the islands of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma from Tenererife's Los Cristianos port sustained damage to the bow ramp last night. It had arrived fro the island of El Hierro last night when during the berthing in Los Cristianos one of the hydraulic arms lowering the ramp collapsed leaving the cars and trucks trapped aboard until the roll-on/roll-off ferry was allowed to turn around and to allow the vehicles to disembark through the stern ramp.

If you intend to travel to La Gomera or the other two western Canary islands on this service you should check with the Armas ferry company as there's bound to be disruption until the vessel has been repaired, bearing in mind that another of the company's vessel which serves these islands is currently out of service due to annual maintenance.

Modified ferry schedule until end of February 2016

The 'Volcan de Taburiente' in the port of San Sebastian de La Gomera

The timetable for sailings by the Naviera Armas ferry company between Los Cristianos in Tenerife and the islands of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma has been modified until the end of the month. Their ro-ro ship Volcan de Taburiente is currently out of service and is being substituted by two other Armas ferries. 

Intending passengers should check current timetables.

Two ferry sailings cancelled today

The ferry company Naviera Armas has cancelled the scheduled sailings of its ferry Volcan de Taburiente at 11:30am today from San Sebastian de La Gomera to Los Cristianos and the 2pm sailing in the opposite direction. The company has not given any reason but the poor weather conditions with high seas and gale fore winds may have something to do with the decision. The weather station at the Alto de Igualero mountain, La Gomera's second highest peak, registered a wind gust of 112 km/h yesterday lunchtime.

Ferry problems and delays today.

Armas ferry Volcan de Taburiente

Not only did the weather cause cancellations and delays over the past weekend, but the Armas ferry Volcan de Taburiente suffered ''technical problems'' as well and is not sailing at all now until further notice. Apparently a side thruster which is needed for mooring the ship to the quay has failed and there are ''electrical problems''. The Spanish-built ship serves the Los Cristianos to La Gomera and to La Palma routes is now undergoing repairs.

All the Armas passengers are switching to the Fred. Olsen Express ferry, but this is now causing long queues and delays for those sailings. If you are booked on any sailings on the above routes you're advised to contact the ferry company for further information.

As one reader of this blog commented on yesterday's post:

''...we were due to arrive on La Gomera today, Sunday. All went well except that when we arrived to get the 8.45 Armas ferry we were told that the boat was broken when we tried to board. Cue panic but we managed to get on the Fred Olsen (no help from Armas) and are now here and enjoying...''

Update Thursday Dec. 4th 2014:
The Armas ferry Volcan de Taburiente has now been repaired and has resumed regular sailings as scheduled this morning.

Cars trapped on ferry last night

Image of the ferry and the assisting crane. Source: gomeranoticias.com

The Armas ferry sailing from San Sebastian de La Gomera at 5pm yesterday docked on time in the port of Los Cristianos on Tenerife at 6pm. The roll-on roll-off ferry Volcan de Taburiente berthed bow-to at the port and when attempting to open the bow and the extendable car ramp that also serves as a second door in the bow interlocked with the half-open bow due to 'technical problems'. This left the cars and trucks aboard trapped on the vehicle decks  for more than five hours. 

A large mobile crane was bought to the scene which eventually managed to lift the heavy bow to free the mechanism, which allowed the vehicles inside to finally disembark more than five hours after docking. Passengers intending to travel on the return sailing to La Gomera at 7:30pm were left stranded in Los Cristianos.

The ferry company Naviera Armas now had to suspended all sailings of the ferry Volcan de Taburiente, but intends to provide a replacement service until the ship has been repaired.

The same ferry had damaged the ro-ro ramp in the port of Los Cristianos last week due to heavy weather, and in April a truck went on fire on its car deck resulting in another disruption of the schedule of sailings.

A fire on the ferry that luckily wasn't a ferry on fire

The scene of the incident Friday night. Image: gomeratoday

The Armas-operated ferry Volcan de Taburiente left Los Cristianos (Tenerife) on Friday night on the regular 6:30 sailing to La Gomera. When she was a good few miles out at sea a fire broke out in a refrigerated truck on the car deck and caused a major alarm. All passengers had to assemble at the various emergency meeting points on deck and all had to don life jackets. Helicopters and lifeboats circled the ship and the Fred. Olsen ferry sailed to the scene to remain on stand-by. The fire was isolated and eventually put out by the crew and the sprinkler system while the ferry returned to Los Cristianos where emergency services were awaiting her arrival. There were no injuries and the authorities have called the handling of the emergency by crew and all services 'exemplary'. Last night the Volcan de Taburiente was back in service between Tenerife and La Gomera.
UPDATE: The Volcan de Taburiente is now docked in the harbour of Las Palmas on Gran Canaria undergoing repairs and another ferry has replaced her on the regular route to La Gomera.

Smoke billowing from the car deck while passengers with life jackets are assembled out on the upper decks.  Image:gomeratoday

Two fast ferries to La Gomera - changes to schedule

Soon to sail to La Gomera: Fast ferry Alboran   (Image: Trasmediteranea)

From this Thursday, March 20th 2014, the ferry company Armas which connects San Sebastian de La Gomera with Los Cristianos on Tenerife with their ship Volcan de Taburiente, will introduce a trimaran called Alboran on the route while their regular ferry Volcan de Taburiente is undergoing the annual review and inspection. The  faster ship will directly compete with the similar Fred.Olsen-operated Benchijigua Express 

The Alboran, built by the same yard in Australia, can also do the same maximum speed as the Olsen ferry at a staggering 42 knots per hour (about 80 km/h), but normal service speed is 36 knots. At about 300 ft the Alboran is 100 ft smaller than the Benchjigua (which happens to be the largest civilian trimaran in the world), and can accommodate about 900 passengers and 265 cars. This additional Armas ferry is owned by Trasmediterranea ferries under the Acciona brand and has previously plied routes in the Mediterranean. 

The Alboran will later begin sailing the regular route to El Hierro from Tenerife with occasional stopovers in San Sebastian de La Gomera, when the Volcan de Taburiente will be back in service maintaining the previous La Gomera connection. The current El Hierro ferry Alcantara Dos, also owned by Acciona will be withdrawn from that route due to problems with reliability, etc.. 

N.B.: A revised timetable will apply from Thursday for most departures. This will be published shortly. Check ferry timetables in English by clicking button Travel + Transport beside Home above). 

The Armas ferry Volcan de Taburiente

Ships in San Sebastian de La Gomera harbour

The two large ferries being dwarfed by yet another visit of a huge cruise ship last evening in the harbour of San Sebastian de La Gomera:

The Russian Shtandart was in the harbour, too

Below the huge TUI cruise ship Mein Schiff 1: