Boluda Reaches Deal to Buy Icelandic Shortsea Line Samskip
The Spanish shortsea line Boluda Shipping has agreed to buy Icelandic carrier Samskip, creating an enlarged network with services stretching from Northern Europe to West Africa. In a statement, Boluda said that it would be the "most comprehensive" independent shortsea container network in Europe.
When completed on January 1, the merger will bring together 32 ships on 18 routes, serving a combined 28 countries. The two firms also bring significant assets on the shore side, including 21 container terminals, five rail terminals and 500 trucks for drayage. Annual throughput of the combined entity will be in the range of 750,000 TEU.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
"We see significant potential to strengthen connections across Europe and with West Africa, while continuing to focus on efficiency, reliability and service for our customers," said Boluda Shipping executive chairman Ignacio Boluda Ceballos in a statement.
The acquisition further expands the Boluda brand beyond its origins in Valencia. Now in the 200th year of family ownership, Boluda is the world's largest marine towage and tugboat operator, serving more than 230 ports around the world. It has built up a fleet of 850 tugs, expanding through both organic growth and acquisitions - notably Les Abeilles International in France, LBSH in Ukraine, Mackenzie Marine in Australia, and the towage assets of Seatrium Group in Singapore, all in the last two years.
