The Port Authority of Ceuta and Baleària have announced that tomorrow Saturday, September 20, there will be a temporary substitution in the maritime connection between Ceuta and Algeciras. Throughout the day, the fast ferry Cecilia Payne will be replaced by the vessel Jaume I, also belonging to the Baleària fleet. According to the planned schedule, on Sunday, September 21, the Cecilia Payne will resume its regular schedules, ensuring the continuity of operations on this high-demand line.
The Jaume I is a high-speed ferry that has been in service in the Strait since last May, when Baleària added it to the Tarifa–Tangier City route. Its introduction responded to the need to increase the transportation capacity of passengers and vehicles during the Operation Passage of the Strait (OPE), a campaign that concentrates a large part of the maritime traffic in the area during the summer months. Thanks to this reinforcement, the company has been able to offer a minimum of six daily departures from each port, with the possibility of increasing the frequencies to reach between eight and twelve connections depending on demand.
With a length of 81 meters and a width of 26 meters, the Jaume I reaches a speed of 32 knots, which is equivalent to about 57 kilometers per hour. Its design allows it to carry up to 655 passengers and 144 vehicles, ensuring service coverage on one of the busiest routes in the Strait. These features make it a suitable option to temporarily take over the operations of the Cecilia Payne without affecting users who rely daily on this maritime connection.
With the aim of facilitating travel planning for its readers, El Estrecho Digital has recently incorporated a specific service for consulting departure times from the port of Algeciras. Through this tool, updated automatically every 5 minutes, travelers can check in real-time the available maritime connections, which represents an improvement in organizing movements, especially during periods of high demand or on days when temporary vessel substitutions occur.
This service aims to provide a practical and updated reference for both frequent passengers and those making occasional trips across the Strait. Interested readers can access this information at the following link: Schedules for boats at the port of Algeciras.