New High-Speed Ferry Mercedes Pinto: Sustainability and Innovation by Baleària

The 123 meter long Mercedes Pinto, a new high-speed RoPax ferry, has been launched and is undergoing internal fit-out before sea trials scheduled for early 2026. Once trials are complete, it will join Baleària’s fleet alongside its LNG-powered sister ships, Margarita Salas (launched in July 2024) and Eleanor Roosevelt (launched in 2021). Mercedes Pinto, the fifth large RoPax ferry designed by Incat Crowther for Baleària in six years, is set to begin operations in 2026.

Capable of carrying 1 200 passengers and 425 vehicles, Mercedes Pinto is designed for sustainability and efficiency, mirroring the eco-friendly features of its sister ships. It can run on 100 % biomethane or up to 25 % green hydrogen blends, and is equipped with energy-efficient solutions, emissions monitoring systems, smart sensors, and advanced real-time navigation.

In addition, Incat Crowther has designed two 87-meter fully electric, zero-emission RoPax ferries for Baleària, to be built in Spain. These will operate on the Tarifa-Tangier route, forming the first green corridor between Spain and Morocco. The 15-year contract for this route was awarded to Baleària by the Algeciras Bay Port Authority, with construction starting at the Armon shipyard in Gijón, expected to take two and a half years.