Samskip to boost shipping between Baltic Sea and Port of Rotterdam
Dutch logistics provider Samskip is continuing to extend its shortsea operations in Europe. It will soon offer more services between the Port of Rotterdam and the Baltic Sea harbours. This will become possible due to the company’s latest acquisition in Lithuania.
Shipping services on the Baltic Sea are becoming more and more important for Samskip in developing its business. After the incorporation of the dedicated subsidiary in Finland earlier this year, the Dutch logistics company has drawn attention to Lithuania and purchased Sea Connect, the Klaipeda-based shortsea specialist that provides the shipping services between the Netherlands, namely the Port of Rotterdam, and Germany, Denmark, Lithuania and Russia.
“This acquisition strengthens our position in Russia, in the Netherlands and across a range of key Baltic ports in between. It enhances services for Samskip’s shortsea customers focusing on growth opportunities in Russia and adds opportunities for importers and exporters within the region to secure cost-efficient and sustainable multimodal connections farther afield,” said Kari-Pekka Laaksonen, CEO of Samskip.
Win-win deal
After setting out the necessary formalities, Sea Connect will change its name to Samskip Sea Connect. Despite this, the Lithuania-based shipping company will keep its autonomy and will continue its services with three 1A Ice Class container vessels. Even the company’s top managers, including the managing director, will save their jobs but with subordination Johan van der Pijl, Samskip’s regional director for Baltics and Russia. “This is a win-win for our customers,” noted Viacheslav Puzemsky, the managing director of Sea Connect.
Schedule
Currently, Sea Connect provides shortsea services from the Port of Rotterdam to the harbours in Hamburg, Aarhus, Klaipeda, Saint Petersburg. The Lithuanian shortsea specialist provides four weekly connections between Rotterdam and Saint Petersburg, one weekly connection between Rotterdam and Klaipeda as well as between Rotterdam and Hamburg. The transit time is three days for the Rotterdam-Klaipeda services and four-five days for Rotterdam-Saint Petersburg services.