Bentago Express is a high-speed vehicle and passenger roll-on/roll-off ferry built in 2000 by the Australian shipyard Incat. Initially entering service as the Benchijigua Express, she was renamed Bentago Express in 2004. The ship is a twin sister to another long-standing member of the Fred. Olsen fleet, the Bencomo Express.
Service The catamaran, the fifth of a series of six sister units, was launched on 20 December 1999 at the Incat, Hobart with the name Benchijigua Express and delivered on 6 January 2000 to Fred. Olsen Express, for which she entered service on 28 January on the routes between Los Cristianos and San Sebastián de la Gomera.
In November 2004, in view of the entry into service of the new Benchijigua Express, which was to be joined on the route, it was renamed Bentago Express. In 2008 it was then transferred to the connections between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Agaete.
On January 7, 2021, it ran aground during maneuvers to enter Agaete due to bad weather. However, the incident created a leak in the hull, and the catamaran was promptly evacuated. After a week, on January 14, the Bentago Express was refloated and towed to Agaete, where the vehicles in the garage were unloaded. It was subsequently transferred to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and repaired.
Sister ships
Manannan Giga Jet Volcan de Teno Villa de Agaete Bencomo Express
References