Copenhagen-headquartered ferry and roro operator DFDS has announced that its agreement to acquire Naviera Armas’ Strait of Gibraltar ferry operations on Algeciras-Tangier Med has been approved by the Spanish and Moroccan competition authorities.
The transaction includes one combined freight and passenger ferry (RoPax) deployed on Algeciras-Tangier Med. Permits related to route operations are also included and around 200 employees will transfer to DFDS.
The total purchase price for the Algeciras-Tangier Med route assets is DKK 165m (about USD 24.7m.) with the transaction completed on Thursday October 8th, 2026.
The route will be merged with DFDS’ existing ferry route on Strait of Gibraltar between Algeciras and Tangier Med.
The purchased ferry is Volcan de Tamasite (RoPax) built in 2004, and in addition, the capacity share is increased from 33% to 50% on a joint freight ferry (RoRo) for the incumbent operators on Algeciras-Tangier Med.
DFDS’ agreement to acquire Naviera Armas’ Strait of Gibraltar ferry operations on Algeciras-Ceuta was conditional on the degree of competition authority restrictions. As the Spanish competition authority’s requirements went beyond the agreed conditions, DFDS has decided not to proceed with this agreement the company disclose in their statement.
