Fred. Olsen Express is all set to facilitate summer holidays and getaways between islands during the month of August. The shipping company will operate a total of 2,206 journeys with an expected movement of over 416,000 passengers and more than 108,000 vehicles for this month, figures similar to those of the previous year. Additionally, around 9,000 pets will enjoy the different accommodations offered by the company.
Among the most demanded routes, with forecasts of around 100,000 passengers, are those connecting Tenerife with Gran Canaria, Tenerife with La Gomera, and Gran Canaria with Fuerteventura, which year after year positions itself as one of the favourite summer destinations among the company’s connections. Also noteworthy is the connection between Playa Blanca, in Lanzarote, and Corralejo, in Fuerteventura, currently offering a service composed of three boats, one dedicated to passenger, vehicle, and cargo transportation, and two focused on excursions, with the recent addition of the Buganvilla Express mini-ferry.
In the words of Fred. Olsen Express Fleet Director, Juan Ignacio Liaño, “as part of our commitment to offer passengers a comfortable, flexible service that suits their needs, we have reinforced our connections during the month of August, as we do every year with summer schedules. A key moment when many choose us to travel between islands and enjoy their holidays. Our goal remains to ensure connections, even during high demand periods like summer, so that all those who wish can plan their holidays in a simpler way and with all family members.”
Pets on Board: One Year of Implementing New Pet-Friendly Accommodations
Over 63,000 pets have travelled in Fred. Olsen Express’ pet-friendly accommodations since the new services were launched in June 2023. The shipping company has been offering three travel modalities that can be booked during ticket purchase since then.
For pets of any weight and size, the Pet Sofa option is available, a mat with seat restraint for added security. For pets up to 10 kilos travelling in their approved carrier, there is the Pet Carrier option. Finally, the Pet Room accommodation consists of kennels located in the outdoor areas of the boats, with great ventilation and accessible throughout the journey. These fixed and secure structures, available in different sizes, have personalised cameras to monitor the pet’s journey in real-time with access through an exclusive QR code.
Passengers who have used this service have rated it 8.89 out of 10, demonstrating the positive reception of the possibility to travel with all family members comfortably and safely.
Fred. Olsen Express Onboard Services Manager, Erik Lehmann, states that “We are very pleased and grateful for the results achieved with the service in its first year and for the feedback we have received. The three pet accommodations were designed and tested with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in response to the needs of our furry passengers and as part of our commitment to offer the best travel experience for the whole family.” He adds, “Specifically, 63,194 pets have been able to travel comfortably and safely alongside their owners, enjoying the crossings, which further encourages us to continue working in this direction.”
Pet in Fred’s Pet Sofa accommodation. Olsen Express. / LP/DLP
The route connecting Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Agaete, in Gran Canaria, is the most used by travellers with pets, with 16,955 transported in the pet-friendly accommodations over this first year of the new services. Following in popularity are the connections between Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura (16,315 pets) and between Tenerife and La Gomera (9,349 pets).
About Fred. Olsen Express
Fred. Olsen Express celebrates 50 years of maritime connections between the Canary Islands. The shipping company began its journey in 1974 with the first Ferry Gomera between San Sebastián de La Gomera and Los Cristianos, in Tenerife. Since then, it has maintained its commitment to the development of maritime transport in the archipelago, through a service provided by state-of-the-art ships and based on comfort, speed, and flexibility.
True to its mission of generating wealth among the Canarian community, the shipping company has a human team of around 1,000 people. Currently, Fred. Olsen Express has a fleet of 7 high-speed boats, 3 mini-ferries, and a ship dedicated to cargo transportation, operating six inter-island sea lines and a coastal route in the south of La Gomera. It also connects the archipelago with the peninsula through the Gran Canaria and Tenerife routes to Huelva.
Fred. Olsen Express is a leader in the inter-island market. It carries out an average of 22,000 trips per year, transporting annually over 3.5 million people, more than 63,000 pets, around a million cars, and approximately 1,300,000 linear metres of cargo, that is, about 100,000 commercial vehicles. Since its inception, over 85 million passengers have trusted the company.
In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Canary Islands’ Sustainable Development 2030 agenda, through its ‘In Harmony with the Sea’ programme, Fred. Olsen Express applies innovation in all its processes to minimise its environmental footprint.
