Hope again for reestablishment of ferry line

The former Garajonay Expres

The so-called 'interior ferry line', connecting the ports of La Gomera's capital San Sebastian, Playa de Santiago and Valle Gran Rey is back in the news once again. This time La Gomera's ruling ASG party's deputy in the Canarian parliament Jesus Ramos has recently stated that his negotiations will 'soon bear fruit'. He also said that three different ferry companies are still interested in running the service and that their proposals for the reintroduction of this ferry connection are already being studied.

The 'interior ferry line' ceased operations early 2012 despite having been declared an 'obligatory public service' by the Canarian government some years previously and the decision to subsidise resident's tickets further.

The ferry route had been operated by three different companies over the years and attracted 150.000 passengers per year on average before it ceased operating. It is worth remembering that by taking the now sorely missed ferry  it took just about 30 minutes to travel from Valle Gran Rey to the capital San Sebastian, while the public bus needs about 110 minutes to get there. The route by sea would also reduce the amount of traffic that currently has to squeeze through the centre of the national park, and that Valle Gran Rey only has one access road which is very narrow in places and prone to rockfalls.

We're keeping our fingers crossed...

Ferry to Valle Gran Rey in the news again

The former 'Garajonay Expres' ferry in Valle Gran Rey

After years of rumours and fruitless waiting for the re-opening of  the ferry service between the ports of Valle Gran Rey, Playa de Santiago and San Sebastian on La Gomera and Los Cristianos on Tenerife have passed and there has been silence since the local elections this spring...

This week politicians of the Coalicion Canaria party in the Canarian parliament have been vociferous once again, demanding the reopening of the connection. Further, the mayor of Valle Gran Rey ,who is of the same party, with the unanimous support of the rest of the local council has made the issue a priority and has invited all the other local councils of La Gomera as well as the island's government to join forces and develop a strategy which would lead to a new ferry connection. 

Let's hope these renewed efforts are not just electioneering in view of the Spanish general elections on December 20th, 2015. Meanwhile the building of the new terminal building in the port of Valle Gran Rey is progressing as planned and it is hoped that this may further entice one of the commercial ferry companies to delivery a connection. After all they do get plenty of subsidies anyway.

The 'interior ferry line' ceased operations early 2012 despite having been declared an 'obligatory public service' by the Canarian government some years previously and the decision to subsidise resident's tickets.

The ferry route had been operated by three different companies over the years and attracted 150.000 passengers per year on average before it ceased operating.It is worth remembering that by taking the now sorely missed ferry  it took just about 30 minutes to travel from Valle Gran Rey to the capital San Sebastian, while the public bus needs about 110 minutes to get there. The route by sea would also reduce the amount of traffic that currently has to squeeze through the centre of the national park, and that Valle Gran Rey only has one access road which is very narrow in places and prone to rockfalls.

Let's hope that 'mañana' something more tangible will emerge and not just politicians stating the obvious. Keep praying !

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.

New ferry service before end of this year ?

Former ferry on the interior line operated by Garajonay Express

The long awaited reopening of the so-called 'interior line' by sea connecting Tenerife with  La Gomera's ports of San Sebastian, Playa Santiago and Valle Gran Rey could be a reality before the end of the year, according to 'well informed sources'. Fact is that the Canarian government has increased and approved the subsidies for residents' tickets. A whopping 75% of the cost of the journey between any or all of La Gomera's ports will be subsidised  by the government leaving residents with only 25% of the regular ticket price to pay. This was a announced a few days ago and should encourage the quick re-establishment of the ferry service.

Well we've had lots of rumours, 'good news and good intentions' many times before and still there's no ferry. If it doesn't arrive in the few remaining months of this year it might never come again. We keep the fingers crossed, peak season is beginning soon...

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.

Three companies 'interested' in providing new ferry

The former Garajonay Expres in the harbour of Valle Gran Rey

Months of rumours and fruitless waiting for the re-opening of  the ferry service between the ports of Valle Gran Rey, Playa de Santiago and San Sebastian on La Gomera and Los Cristianos on Tenerife have passed and then there was silence...

The 'interior ferry line' ceased operations over a year ago despite having been declared an 'obligatory public service' by the Canarian government some years previously.
Yesterday the Canarian government minister responsible for transport Domingo Berriel was quoted as saying that thanks to his government's agreed  increase in the subsidies for resident's tickets to 75% of the price on the connection between the three La Gomera ports, the ball was now in the ferry companies' court to make applications to provide the service. 
Berriel revealed that ''all the ferry companies'' had shown an interest in providing the service. In reality ''all'' can only mean three companies, i.e. Fred. Olsen Express, Naviera Armas and the former Garajonay Expres. 

He also stated that the further connection from any of the three Gomeran ports to Los Cristianos will be subsidised with 50% of the ticket price for passengers resident in the Canary Islands. He added that to renew or maintain the status of the line being an 'obligatory public service' was ''very complicated'' because the Spanish state maintained that there were alternatives to travel on land.

The ferry route had been operated by three different companies over the years and attracted 150.000 passengers per year on average before it ceased operating about 15 months ago. 

It is worth remembering that by the now sorely missed ferry service it just took just about 30 minutes to travel from Valle Gran Rey to the capital San Sebastian, while the public bus needs about 110 minutes to get there. The route by sea would also reduce the amount of traffic that has to pass through the centre of the national park now.
Let's hope that 'mañana' something more tangible will emerge and not just politicians stating the obvious, but 'mañana' could take a long time to arrive here, I fear.
Click for latest UPDATE

Olsen and Armas ferries in the port of San Sebastian de La Gomera. Olsen once ran a small ferry to V.G.R. called 'Benchi'

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