Samskip and Boluda Lines will jointly launch shortsea container services connecting Santander, Dublin and Liverpool, in a new commitment to customers in Spain, Ireland and the UK that also delivers a strategic expansion for Samskip’s European sustainable transport network, according to the company's release.
Launching on 30 September, the joint service provides a new weekly Spain-Ireland-UK shortsea option for unitized cargoes that is highly cost competitive against road-ferry alternatives, while at the same time offering greater reliability and substantially reducing CO2 emissions per tonne mile.
Based on Saturday departures from Santander by the 803 TEU nominal capacity vessel LUCIA B., the new service offers a 3-day transit time to Dublin port, with calls at Liverpool’s Royal Seaforth Container Terminal, due two days after, before the ship’s southbound voyage to Spain. With door-to-door and quay-to-quay services available, cargoes can move in owners’ extensive range of containers - including 45ft high cubes, reefers and flatracks - or in shippers’ own equipment.
In northern Spain, the focal point for operations will be Boluda Maritime Terminals Santander, which is ideally located to provide links to Ireland and the UK and is highly competitive against other local ports. Opened by Boluda in April 2023, after terminal investments approaching €40 million, the brand-new facility offers capacity to handle over 110,000 TEUs a year.
In addition to adding value through logistics expertise and local knowledge, Samskip and Boluda Lines are maximising Santander’s operational, sustainability and market penetration potential by simultaneously launching block train rail services to/from Madrid and Seville. Cross-docking services are also being offered at Santander.
As experts in Multimodal planning logistics, Samskip has a strong local presence in Ireland and North Ireland. This provides a great edge for reliable service where extensive road haulage services have been developed to support ships connecting Cork, Dublin, Belfast and Waterford to Samskip’s European network via the Netherlands.
In addition, Boluda Lines' leadership in the transport of goods through the Canary Islands and West Africa offers importers and exporters in Northern Europe the possibility to expand their connections and carry out operations in these regions. With extensive experience in these markets the company operates more than six regular lines in this strategic area.