Port accessFinnlines, a subsidiary of the Grimaldi Group in Northern Europe and the Baltic, is expanding its freight transport service from the Port of Bilbao to the North Sea, with a view to strengthening connections between Northern and Western Europe and thus opening up new opportunities for more efficient and sustainable freight transport. Specifically, starting the week of 26 June, the shipping company will add the Polish port of Gdynia to the route of its weekly service, departing on Saturdays and represented in Bilbao by Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza. The line will call at the ports of Zeebrugge and Antwerp in Belgium, Helsinki and Kotka in Finland, Travemünde and Lübeck in Germany, and, from June, Gdynia in Poland. Service connections are available from these ports to Ireland, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and the Grimaldi network to North and South America, West Africa and the Far East.
As Blasco Majorana, Head of North Sea and Spain at Finnlines, explained, “We are delighted to add the new connection to Gdynia as part of our ongoing process of service development, smarter operations and reliable logistics across Europe. Our actions are driven by a commitment to providing better service for our customers, which means continuously improving and anticipating new opportunities for joint growth”. One of the key elements of this improved service is the addition of three state-of-the-art Finneco-class hybrid vessels. Majorana added that “these innovative ro-ro units are designed to carry a wide variety of goods, from wheeled and conventional cargo to containers, cars and special projects, ensuring flexibility and reliability. With our modern fleet and Green Lane solution, we are proud to offer one of the most sustainable ways to ship goods across Europe today”.
This route provides “a cost-effective and practical intermodal alternative to road transport for goods travelling to or from Poland to or from Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Finland”, Majorana explained, adding that “it also connects Poland directly to the Grimaldi Group’s global network, offering links to the Far East, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, West Africa, South America and the east coast of the United States”.
Finnlines will also introduce new 25 metre (80 foot) MAFi platforms with integrated rails, specifically designed to facilitate the transport of non-standard cargo, such as trains and wagons, with greater efficiency and flexibility.
Low emission shipping
Finnlines maintains its leadership in sustainable shipping. Its state-of-the-art vessels offer some of the most environmentally friendly solutions available today, with CO₂ emission reductions of up to 90% on demand.
For Merja Kallio-Mannila, Commercial Director of Finnlines, “this new connection reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability, operational innovation and reliable logistics services throughout Europe. We are constantly looking to improve how we meet customer needs, and are actively looking for new growth opportunities. Thanks to our modern fleet and Green Lane solution, we offer one of the most environmentally responsible transport alternatives available today”.
For his part, Adam Hoppe, Director of the Strategy and Market Analysis Office at the Gdynia Port Authority S.A., added that “the inclusion of the port of Gdynia in the route further consolidates the position of the port as a strategic logistics hub in the Baltic Sea region. With its excellent geographical location, the port offers direct access to major trade routes, a key factor in ensuring an efficient flow of goods. Continuous improvements in infrastructure, combined with high-quality freight handling services, boost the confidence of our trading partners and attract new operators. This new service is a direct response to growing market demand for flexible and sustainable transport solutions”.
Andima Ormaetxe Bengoa, Director of Operations, Sales and Logistics at the Port Authority of Bilbao, congratulated Finnlines on “the launch of this new connection with Poland. The company’s commitment to efficient and sustainable vessels, such as the Finneco series, clearly reflects its determination to decarbonise maritime transport. Furthermore, its ability to adapt routes to changing market demands further strengthens the company’s flexibility, in line with today’s business environment. At the Port of Bilbao, we fully share this vision and are moving forward decisively with our investments to electrify the docks, thereby contributing to cleaner, more competitive logistics chains aligned with European climate objectives”.
Gorka Zabala, Managing Director at Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza, highlighted that “Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza and Finnlines have been working in partnership for over 50 years and currently operate a state-of-the-art multipurpose terminal, which has increased cargo capacity at the port of Bilbao to 5,800 linear metres with the new Finneco-class ships, which have also reduced the carbon footprint”. Zabala also pointed out that the new stopover in Gdynia will further strengthen this competitiveness, and that the main beneficiaries will be “exporters of semi-trailers, vehicles, steel products, project cargo, containers and a wide range of other goods, who have responded positively to a versatile and highly competitive offer that is also provided by the ‘Ultra Green’ hybrid ro-ro vessels, considered among the most environmentally friendly in the world”.
