The shipping company Baleària has presented this Thursday before the media the Corporate Social Responsibility report corresponding to the 2017 year, which yields positive results for the company. In 2017, Baleària billed 362,6 millones de euros, which means an increase of 10%, in a year marked by its progress in the expansion in other countries.
The president of the shipping company, the Dianense Adolfo Utor, has shelled the details of 2017, highlighting its leadership in the use of liquefied natural gas and the creation of occupation with a 13% more employees, adding a total of 1.537 workers.
Regarding the global traffic of the group Baleària, 2017 especially highlighted the growth of a 10,4% load (reaching the 5,6 millions of linear meters transported) and an 17% in vehicles (up to 878.000). As for the passengers, there were 3,7 million in all lines (+ 5,7%), of which 880.000 traveled on international routes, an 25% more than in 2016. Utor recalled that the expansion of the company in North Africa, where the company has plans for growth, led him to open a new international line between Nador (Morocco) and Almería at 2017.
Innovation and efficiency, the milestones of the company in 2017
Utor recalled that this new route is one of the milestones of the company last year, to which the incorporation into the fleet of the first eco fast ferry of a series of four for the route between Eivissa and Formentera and the commitment to liquefied natural gas. Milestones whose roadmap is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Regarding the contribution of the shipping company in the economic and social development of the communities where it has a presence, the one known as Cash flow, Utor has highlighted that: "Our social cash flow exceeded 386 million euros, 17,1% more than last year, with the contribution to public administrations being 5% more".
The transport of goods, on which half of Baleària's billing depends, grew in 2017, since the shipping company transported an additional 10,4% of linear meters of cargo, with a total of 5.664.000. The 79,6% of the 400.000 trucks transported traveled on the Balearic routes.
Looking to the future
The most immediate future of the shipping company will focus on new construction, reconversion of ship engines to be propelled by liquefied natural gas, and the construction of new terminals in Miami, Valencia and Barcelona, as well as continuing the expansion in new traffic with the North of Africa.
"We will continue to work in a world where changes are fast and therefore adaptation and digitalization will be important. In addition, it is not possible to evolve without shared values; shortcuts do not exist, there is only one way, to do it well", has concluded Utor.
Importance of eco-efficient navigation
The bet of growth in routes and services translated into an 15% more of navigated miles, in spite of which the eco-efficiency index of Baleària's last generation ferries (which relates the CO2 emissions with the passengers and freight transported, according to the miles sailed) only increased an 3,1%.
With an investment in 2017 fleet of 125 million euros, Utor has highlighted that "Our efforts to have an eco-efficient fleet thanks to the application of different innovations and the firm commitment to clean energy such as LNG, help us to increasingly fulfill our commitment to the environment".
