Boluda Shipping and Samskip have signed an agreement under which Boluda Shipping will acquire Samskip. The acquisition will pave the way for Europe’s most comprehensive short-sea shipping network, connecting Northern Europe with the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa.
Boluda brings maritime heritage, a strong position in towage, an established container shipping business and expertise in port logistics, while Samskip contributes its established position in Northern Europe, its multimodal expertise, its customer relationships and its knowledge of the markets it serves.
Together, their capabilities will support more comprehensive and efficient end-to-end logistics services, offering customers greater connectivity and access to more markets. The combined network will connect maritime, rail and road transport, with terminals playing a key role in coordinating the movement of goods across the logistics chain.
Combining sea and rail transport with road services for the collection and delivery of goods can also help reduce CO₂ emissions compared with road-only transport.
Following completion, the combined network is expected to comprise of 32 vessels operating 18 routes and connecting markets in 28 countries. Its 21 maritime terminals will link these corridors and bring maritime and land transport services closer to major centers of production and consumption. This network on land will be further strengthened by its five rail terminals and more than 500 company-owned trucks. The network is also expected to handle a total of 35,000 containers, representing annual logistics throughput of more than 750,000 TEUs.
Building on the multimodal model that has been central to its development over the past decade, Boluda Shipping intends to invest in the combined network, strengthening capacity, expanding connections and laying the foundation for the next phase of growth for both companies and their customers.
The agreement is subject to approval by the relevant authorities and fulfilment of the agreed closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close on January 1, 2027. Until then, both companies will remain focused on their customers, service quality and teams, while preparing to combine their capabilities and develop a broader, more efficient and reliable network connecting Europe and West Africa.