New container line connects the Port of Gothenburg with Iceland

“Helgafell” is one of the vessels that might call at the as the new traffic starts in April. Photo: Samskip.

On April 5, the shipping company Samskip will call at APM Terminals in the Port of Gothenburg for the first time. The traffic will serve the terminal every week and then sail on to Faroese Runavik and Reykjavik in , then arriving in Rotterdam four days later.

“The new call is not only a lifeline between Iceland and Sweden, but also represents the starting point for a competitive and sustainable short-sea offer from the largest container port in the Nordics to the continent. It is very gratifying that our efforts to create conditions for well-functioning intra-European traffic from APM Terminals Gothenburg has yielded results and we are ready to meet future needs,” said Brian Bitsch, Chief Commercial Officer at APM Terminals in a press release.

Samskip is a Dutch logistics company with a focus on intra-European traffic within multiple modes of transport. The company’s head office is located in Rotterdam, but was originally founded in Iceland in 1990. Since then, the business has grown continuously with a network that now spans 26 countries.

“We are happy that this solution has come in to place and we see clear gains from calling at APM Terminals in Gothenburg. We look forward to being able to offer our customers the extensive rail network from APM Terminals Gothenburg to the Swedish hinterland. Shipping in combination with rail is by far the most climate-efficient way to transport containers, and sustainability is one of the most important foundations in our business,” said Kenn Mellgren, Operations Manager at Samskip.

With the new container line, additional direct destinations can be added to the port’s growing liner network, strengthening the Port of Gothenburg’s role as the guarantor of Swedish industry’s access to the world.

“We are very happy that Samskip has chosen the Port of Gothenburg for its short-sea traffic in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, which also brings an additional connection to Rotterdam and Cuxhaven. Customers now have access to a very strong and sustainable intermodal network in Sweden and Norway, which makes Samskip’s total offer very attractive to the market,” said Jacob Minnhagen, business developer at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

Samskip’s Gothenburg loop in its entirety:
Gothenburg-Aarhus-Runavik-Reykjavik-Grundartangi-Vestmannaeyjar-Runavik-Rotterdam-Cuxhaven-Gothenburg