Martin i Soler

Martin i Soler in Barcelona
History
Name	2008–present: Martin i Soler
Owner	2008–present: Baleària
Operator	2008–present: Baleària
Port of registry	2008–present: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Route	Barcelona / Valencia – Ibiza / Palma de Mallorca / Mahón Former: Algeciras – Tangier Med
Ordered	2006
Builder	Hijos de J. Barreras Vigo, Spain
Yard number	1658
Laid down	2007
Launched	28 March 2008
Completed	15 January 2009
Acquired	2009
Maiden voyage	January 2009
In service	2009
Identification	IMO number: 9390367 Call sign: EBZT MMSI number: 224637000
Status	in service
General characteristics
Class & type	Ro-Pax Ferry
Tonnage	24,760 GT 7,618 NT 4,370 DWT
Length	165.30 m (542 ft 4 in) (LOA) / 152.50 m (500 ft 4 in) (LBP)
Beam	25.60 m (84 ft 0 in)
Height	8.50 m (27 ft 11 in) (side height)
Draft	5.70 m (18 ft 8 in)
Depth	13.80 m (45 ft 3 in)
Decks	10 (4 continuous, Decks 7–9 passenger spaces)
Ramps	Stern vehicle loading ramps
Installed power	(2009–2021): 2 × Caterpillar MaK 9M43 diesel engines (9,000 kW each, total 18,000 kW / 24,473 hp) (2021–present): 2 × Caterpillar MaK 9M46DF dual-fuel engines (8,685 kW each, total 17,370 kW / 23,617 hp)
Propulsion	2 × reduction gearboxes driving controllable pitch propellers
Speed	21.0 knots (38.9 km/h; 24.2 mph) (service) / 23.0 knots (42.6 km/h; 26.5 mph) (max)
Capacity	1,200 total capacity (1,164 passengers, 36 crew) 46 passenger cabins (172 berths) + recliner lounges 108 cars / 1,711 lane metres
Crew	36

Martin i Soler is a 165.3-metre Ro-Pax ferry built in 2008 by Hijos de J. Barreras in Vigo, Spain. Owned and operated by Baleària, she is named after the Spanish classical composer Vicente Martín y Soler. The vessel operates on routes connecting mainland Spain with the Balearic Islands, as well as routes between Spain and North Africa.

History

The ship, hull number 1655, was built at the Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard in Vigo for the shipping company Baleària Eurolineas Marítimas at a cost of €89 million. Ordered on April 4, 2006, as the first of four vessels in the "Baleària+" program, the ferry was launched in June 2008 under the name Martin i Soler and delivered in January 2009. Registered under the Spanish flag with its home port in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the vessel was recognized for its high-quality construction, winning the Shippax Prize in the category of "ferry with the best interior design".

The ferry officially entered service in January 2009, initially operating routes connecting Barcelona and Mahón with Ibiza. The following month, it was reassigned to run between Ibiza and Valencia, where it remained until May 2010 before moving to serve Barcelona, Alcúdia, Palma de Mallorca, and Ciutadella de Menorca. Over the subsequent years, its operations continued to expand across various Balearic and mainland connections, including routes linking Barcelona or Valencia with Menorca, Ibiza, and Mallorca.

In October 2011, the vessel was transferred to the Algeciras–Tangier Med service, where it operated for seven years until moving to the Atlantic in November 2018. Following its Atlantic deployment, the ferry returned to the Mediterranean to serve the Barcelona, Alcúdia, and Ciutadella route, and by 2024, it was positioned to operate the maritime service connecting Almería and Melilla.

Technical specifications and equipment

The ship was built with a diesel-mechanical propulsion system. It was powered by two four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines from the engine manufacturer Caterpillar (type: MaK 9M43), each with an output of 9000 kW. In 2021, the propulsion system was converted to allow operation with liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship was then equipped with two Caterpillar dual-fuel engines (type: MaK 9M46DF), each with an output of 8685 kW, and an LNG tank.

The engines drive two controllable pitch propellers via reduction gears . The ship's cruising speed is approximately 21 knots. The ship is equipped with two electrically driven bow thrusters, each with an output of 1000 kW and controllable pitch propellers. For power generation, two Leroy-Somer shaft generators, each with a power output of 1300 kW and driven by the main engines, and three generators, each with a power output of 1100 kW and driven by MaK diesel engines, are available. Additionally, a Leroy-Somer emergency generator, driven by a 280 kW Volvo Penta diesel engine, has been installed.

The ferry has four vehicle decks. The main deck (Deck 3) features a continuous vehicle deck accessible via a bow ramp and two stern ramps . The bow ramp is located behind a side-opening bow visor . Further vehicle decks are located below and above the main deck. The vehicle deck below the main deck (Deck 2) is accessible via a folding ramp, and the vehicle deck above the main deck (Deck 5) is accessible via two fixed ramps at the stern of the ferry. Additionally, Deck 5 has an access ramp via the bow of the ship, secured by an upward-opening gate. Another car deck (Deck 6), which is height-adjustable and divided into several sections, is suspended from Deck 5.

Above the vehicle decks are four more decks (decks 7 to 10). Three of these decks (decks 7 to 9) house the passenger facilities, including lounges, a restaurant, a bar, and a children's play area. On board, there are 46 passenger cabins: 40 four-berth and 6 two-berth cabins, as well as reclining seats. Additional cabins are provided for the crew , who also have access to mess halls and lounges. The bridge is located on the uppermost deck in the bow. It is enclosed across its entire width. For better visibility during docking and undocking, and for navigating narrow channels, the bridge wings extend slightly beyond the ship's beam. The ship is equipped with two fin stabilizers . Its range is approximately 3200 nautical miles, or approximately 750 nautical miles when powered by liquefied natural gas. The ship is certified for 1200 people, 1164 passengers and 36 crew members.