CLdN currently has four weekly departures from Gothenburg to Zeebrugge. The ship Faustine is part of CLdN’s H5 series with a capacity of 5,000 lane meters and is one of the most fuel-efficient ships in its class. Photo: The Port of Gothenburg.
In September 1999, the Luxembourg-based shipping company CLdN began its service between the Port of Gothenburg and the Belgian transport hub Zeebrugge. Since then, the service has continued to evolve in terms of frequency, destinations, capacity, volume and sustainability performance.
It was the forest industry giant Stora Enso’s need to reach its Central European market that triggered the start of the shipping company’s operations at the Port of Gothenburg. The conclusion was that Zeebrugge in Belgium was the optimal hub for further distribution into Central Europe, and CLdN was given the task of transporting the forest products by sea there.
That was in 1999, and CLdN’s service between the Port of Gothenburg and Zeebrugge remains active to this day. Much has changed since then though, says Emil Holmgren, Country Manager at CLdN.
“During the 25 years that have passed, we have expanded our route network, and today we also reach important growth regions in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. In addition, the fleet has been upgraded several times to the modern ships we have today, which have both greater capacity and top-class environmental performance.”
Initially, the ships were specially designed for Stora Enso’s specific container standard, SECU (Stora Enso Cargo Unit). But over time, the shipping company has broadened its offerings, shipping a mix of trailers, tank containers, machinery, vehicles, and project cargo for a wide range of customers.
Connections to the hinterland have also been developed. CLdN’s calls are handled quickly and efficiently by the terminal operator Gothenburg RoRo Terminal, which also operates the adjacent Arken Intermodal Terminal. This has created new conditions for smooth integration of rail and sea traffic.
CLdN has become an increasingly important part of the port’s overall offering, says Jacob Minnhagen, Senior Market Development Manager at the Port of Gothenburg:
“CLdN is a long-term, important player in the port that has provided stable and reliable service over time, while also being innovative and flexible. This way, they have built the trust they enjoy in the market today,” says Jacob Minnhagen.
Like the past 25 years, the shipping company continues to look ahead—by continuing to invest in sustainable transport and increased competitiveness. Among other things, they have a new series of ships on order that will provide even greater capacity and even better environmental performance, says Emil Holmgren:
“We are very proud of our history in Gothenburg – during this time, we have also built a solid foundation from which to launch into the next 25 years as we strive to continue developing our offering further together with our customers and partners.”
