New Samskip Container Service for Amsterdam
A new short-sea container service between Amsterdam and Hull has been formally inaugurated with the first call of the 340-TEU vessel THEA II at Amsterdam Container Terminal (ACT).
The new service, operated by leading short sea container operator Samskip, offers three sailings a week on this new route with vessels departing from Amsterdam on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Commenting on the new service, Clemence Cheng, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports Europe, said: “Amsterdam Container Terminal offers shipping lines the opportunity to serve their customers in a fast, efficient, reliable and sustainable manner. Its central location and excellent hinterland connections by road, rail or inland waterway make it ideal for a wide variety of cargoes from across the continent of Europe.”
ACT is operated by TMA Logistics in which Hutchison Ports is a 50% shareholder. TMA has a variety of general cargo terminal operations together with warehousing, shipping, logistics and project cargo activities at three sites in Amsterdam and one in Antwerp.
Gerben Matroos, Managing Director of TMA Logistics, said: “Attracting Samskip to Amsterdam Container Terminal is testament to both the strength of the UK-Netherlands market, and Amsterdam’s strategic location. It will allow TMA Logistics to demonstrate its full range of value added handling, storage and distribution services. We are delighted that Samskip has entrusted ACT and TMA with this important new link and we look forward to working with them to deliver a first-class service to shippers on both sides of the North Sea.”
Diederick Blom, Chief Operating Officer Samskip, adds: “Both Port of Amsterdam and TMA Logistics have shown exceptional commitment to this new partnership, which brings a new dimension to Samskip's sustainable transport solutions for all types of intermodal loads, including 45ft, reefer, flat rack, tank and bulk containers. Samskip will now offer eight sailings per week Rotterdam/Amsterdam to and from Hull.”
Femke Brenninkmeijer, Director Energy, Cargo & Offshore of the Port of Amsterdam, said: “We are delighted to welcome Europe's largest multimodal service provider to the Port of Amsterdam and to the new opportunities available to serve its customers by short sea, rail, inland barge and truck. Amsterdam's location, its advantageous hinterland links, and its strong commitment to its logistics partners benefit the regional and European industry and consumers alike, this new short sea service will fit perfectly in the core business of the Port of Amsterdam to develop a central short sea hub for Europe and therefore we are convinced of the success and possibilities of this new Samskip short sea service”.
ACT boasts three berths with total length of 1015 metres and depth of 15 metres, which are some of the deepest water multi-purpose berths in North Europe. Access will be further improved when a new sea lock, the largest in the world, opens at the end of 2019 at the entrance to the North Sea Canal.
ACT has outstanding multimodal connections by short sea, inland waterways, road and air. It is directly connected to this network with an excellent on-dock rail facility with three 700-metre-long tracks which offer a range of intermodal distribution options to its customers.
