NETHERLANDS-BASED Samskip has commenced a new, direct weekly service between Portugal and the UK, and is deploying a 1,000 TEU containership on charter to offer a transit time of five days.
The service links Tilbury, Lisbon and Leixoes to its multimodal hub at the port of Rotterdam, and is specifically targeting the food and beverage sector.
The company will also continue to run four-times weekly services from Rotterdam to Leixoes and a weekly service to Lisbon using space booked with other carriers, reported Container Management.
Samskip trade manager for Iberia Lisa Westerhuis said the upgrade will enable the carrier to expand its Portugal-UK volumes by 30-40 per cent.
She was quoted as saying: 'We have been building our multimodal presence in Portugal for over a decade through shortsea, rail and last mile road services. Now, Samskip is responding to growing UK-Portugal demand with its own ship.'
International commercial managing director Luis Paz da Silva at Noatum Maritime Services, Samskip's agency in Portugal, said that 45-foot containers were proving key in persuading Portuguese importers and exporters to switch away from road haulage.
He said: 'The 45-footer is especially competitive with trailers at distances of up to 200 kilometres from the ports, including cross-border', estimating that the 45ft market in Portugal is nowadays four times what it was a decade ago.
Ms Westerhuis added that, as well as aligning with European Union transport policy aspirations, the shortsea option is bringing significant carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions savings over its road competitor.
WORLD SHIPPING
The service links Tilbury, Lisbon and Leixoes to its multimodal hub at the port of Rotterdam, and is specifically targeting the food and beverage sector.
The company will also continue to run four-times weekly services from Rotterdam to Leixoes and a weekly service to Lisbon using space booked with other carriers, reported Container Management.
Samskip trade manager for Iberia Lisa Westerhuis said the upgrade will enable the carrier to expand its Portugal-UK volumes by 30-40 per cent.
She was quoted as saying: 'We have been building our multimodal presence in Portugal for over a decade through shortsea, rail and last mile road services. Now, Samskip is responding to growing UK-Portugal demand with its own ship.'
International commercial managing director Luis Paz da Silva at Noatum Maritime Services, Samskip's agency in Portugal, said that 45-foot containers were proving key in persuading Portuguese importers and exporters to switch away from road haulage.
He said: 'The 45-footer is especially competitive with trailers at distances of up to 200 kilometres from the ports, including cross-border', estimating that the 45ft market in Portugal is nowadays four times what it was a decade ago.
Ms Westerhuis added that, as well as aligning with European Union transport policy aspirations, the shortsea option is bringing significant carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions savings over its road competitor.
WORLD SHIPPING