Fred Olsen Express...the fast ferry service for the Canary Islands

**Ally** · 09-12-2006, 01:09 PM

It was in 1904 when Thomas Olsen, grandfather to the current president of the company Fred.Olsen, S.A., set up an important agricultural centre in the south of the island of La Gomera.

From then on, the family launched a maritime route as a means of exporting to the rest of Europe the tomato and banana crops produced in the La Lomada de Tecina and Playa de Santiago.

With the passing of time, Fred. Olsen has upheld his commitment to the local people to invest profits made back into the Canary Islands, thus boosting the economy and allowing the local community to obtain direct benefits from his success.

With this in mind, Fred.Olsen, S.A. has created more than 1,000 jobs in the islands and has invested vast sums of money into developing a modern, efficient network of maritime transport between the seven Canary Isles, as well as in other areas such as tourism and leisure.

The company Fred. Olsen, S.A. covers a wide range of business activities in the Canary Islands, excelling in all of them for the high quality of service.

At the present time, these activities span areas such as regular sea links for foot passengers, leisure vehicles and freight, shipping agencies, the hotel and restaurant trades and the tourist and leisure industries.

In all of them the company strives to offer the best possible quality and service. Just one example is the Fred Olsen Express, a ferry service which proudly boasts the best short distance fleet in the world. Other important achievements have been made in the tourist industry in La Gomera. The prestigious Hotel Jardín Tecina, the Tecina Golf course and the high-class residential estate, Pueblo Don Thomas, form part of the most advanced, exclusive tourist attractions in the Canary Isles.

Since the founding of the company, Ferry Gomera, S.A., in 1974, Fred. Olsen has firmly stood by his resolve to develop maritime links in the Canary Isles.

Fred. Olsen’s goal has always been to connect the seven islands of the archipelago via the shortest routes, at the same time offering maximum speed and comfort. This project was launched on 8 July 1974 when the first ferry set sail from San Sebastián de La Gomera to Los Cristianos. However, this historical event was just the beginning of Fred. Olsen’s long-term commitment to the Canarian community.

Some years later, with the service between Tenerife and La Gomera running smoothly, a period of growth and development took place throughout the Canaries. In just 25 years, the company Fred. Olsen, S.A., has reached its goal to offer sea links to each and every one of the seven Canary Islands, maintaining its initial objectives clearly in sight: comfort and speed combined with quality service.

Today Fred. Olsen Express is a clear market leader, covering 5 sea routes for foot passengers, leisure vehicles and freight, carrying more than 2,700,000 foot passengers, 550,000 cars and more than 200,000 heavy goods vehicles each year.

Thanks to the incomparable service offered by Fred. Olsen Express and its fleet of spectacular, modern fast ferries, the Canary Isles have been brought closer together. Without a doubt, Fred. Olsen Express is your best choice for travel between the islands.

http://www.fredolsen.es/lineas/ingles/index.asp