- Since 1974, the shipping company has maintained a tradition that turns each ship into a tribute to the Canary Islands
- The company promotes new cultural and audiovisual initiatives to value the traditions of the islands and strengthen their historical and emotional bond
Fred. Olsen Express highlights, on the occasion of Canary Islands Day, one of the most recognizable signs of identity in its history: the names of its ships. This tradition, started more than five decades ago, has turned a large part of its fleet into a permanent tribute to the geography, memory and identity of the archipelago.
In line with this commitment to disseminate and preserve the Canarian cultural heritage, the company is currently developing a research project in which specialists assigned to the Cultural Chair of Berber Studies at the University of La Laguna have participated, focused on the origin and meaning of the names of its ships. This initiative, already visible on some ships and on the web'Names with history', will allow information vinyls to be progressively incorporated throughout the fleet so that passengers can discover the story behind each name during their journeys.
Since it began operating in the Canary Islands in 1974, the shipping company adopted the custom of baptizing its vessels with names that begin with the letter “B”, a choice that over time has become a symbol of the company and a way of reinforcing its link with the islands.
The origin of this tradition predates the company's first ship in the Canary Islands, the Benchijigua, named in honor of the Gomero village of the same name. Since then, Fred. Olsen Express consolidated a line of nomenclatures inspired by places, landscapes and references closely linked to the Canary Islands.
Currently, a good part of its ships continue to reflect this heritage through names such as Bajamar Express, Bañaderos Express, Barlovento Express or Betancuria Express. Even the freight division has adopted this approach, with ships like the Breñas Cargo. All of them connected with enclaves, concepts or representative elements of the archipelago.
As Fred's fleet manager explains. Olsen Express, Juan Ignacio Liaño "each ship represents much more than a connection between ports. Their names are part of our history and reflect the roots that Fred. Olsen Express has maintained with the Canary Islands for more than 50 years."
This tradition has accompanied the evolution of the shipping company and inter-island mobility itself, becoming over time a recognizable element for generations of Canarians and reaffirming with it their commitment to the territory, connectivity and identity linked to the sea of the islands.
Commitment to the culture and traditions of the archipelago
Coinciding with this celebration, the company also promotes, for the second consecutive year, the audiovisual series 'Navigating our traditions', an action dedicated to making visible the customs and traditions of the eight islands on social networks and the website through the eyes and work of local artisans and protagonists. With these pieces, Fred. Olsen Express seeks to contribute to the dissemination of the Canarian cultural heritage and value those expressions that are part of the collective identity of the archipelago.
This proposal is added to the advertising campaign 'With you forever', launched on the occasion of Canary Islands Day, with which the shipping company reinforces its historical and emotional bond with the islands and with the generations of people who have grown up traveling between them with Fred. Olsen Express.
(Information and photo attached)
