The Spanish competition authority, CNMC, has authorized Balearia's acquisition of exclusive control over specific assets of Armas-Trasmediterránea in a second-phase review. This decision affects the maritime transport market for both cargo and passengers in the regions of the Southern Peninsula-Strait and Peninsula-Canary Islands.

In the case of the Canary Islands, the CNMC identified potential competition risks that necessitated commitments from Balearia. These commitments are deemed adequate and proportionate to mitigate the competition issues arising from the acquisition. The authorization is not final and will be communicated to the Minister of Economy, Commerce, and Enterprise for further evaluation.

The CNMC highlighted that the acquisition could lead to a monopoly in the regular maritime transport market on the Peninsula-Canary Islands route, with Balearia potentially eliminating one of the two historical bidders providing services in this area. Risks identified include reduced service quality and increased prices on routes without public service obligations.

To address these concerns, Balearia has proposed several commitments, including maintaining current service frequencies, investing in fleet improvements, and ensuring compliance with competition laws. These commitments will be monitored by the CNMC for a period of three years.

In contrast, the acquisition in the Strait region was authorized without any commitments, as the CNMC found no competition risks associated with that operation.