Photo: © Andrew Balcombe | Dreamstime.com
Boluda Shipping is to acquire Samskip, yet another sign of consolidation in the shortsea shipping scene, the deal intended to create a network spanning Northern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, Canary Islands and West Africa.
Subject to regulatory approval, the deal is expected to complete on New Year’s Day, with the combined company’s 32 vessels offering more than 750,000 teu on 18 routes across 28 countries and 21 maritime terminals, as well as five rail terminals and more than 500 trucks.
Ignacio Boluda Ceballos, chair of Boluda, said: “We have a clear vision: to lead European shortsea shipping and make our network a competitive advantage for the businesses that place their trust in us.
“Bringing Samskip’s network and expertise together with Boluda’s maritime and logistics capabilities gives us the scale and opportunities to take that ambition further.”
Mr Ceballos added that the deal focused on expanding connectivity between Europe and West Africa. The companies believe their combined networks will provide greater connectivity and more comprehensive end-to-end logistics services, a multimodal approach, seen as offering a way for customers to reduce CO2 emissions.
Samskip CEO Ólafur Orri Ólafsson said: “Samskip and Boluda are two family-owned companies with a long track-record in transport, shared values, and a long-term vision. That common ground gives us confidence in the opportunity ahead.
“By bringing our complementary strengths together, we can expand what we offer our customers while building on the expertise, commitment and service they rely on every day,” added Mr Orri Ólafsson, who will continue as CEO.
Already running joint services in Spain, the two operators have identified opportunities to combine the network, but with Samskip based in Rotterdam and Boluda having added presence there, the Dutch gateway is set to become a strategic hub.
Until the transaction closes, both companies will continue to operate independently. Boluda said it intended to invest in the combined network to increase capacity, expand connections, and support further growth.
For Samskip, it is its second sale of the year, having begun 2026 by divesting its UK and Ireland activities to Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Navigation (CLdN), purportedly on the basis that it intended to focus on European and Nordic operations.