Finnlines launches new freight service between Finland and Sheerness, UK

Finnlines is set to launch a new freight service from Finland to London Medway, located in Sheerness. The first arrival will take place on 23 September 2024. The new service is part of Finnlines’ strategy to improve service sustainability and route network.

It will be operated with three Finneco-class vessels calling at London Medway once a week. As part of its strategy to expand its route network, improve service reliability, and offer a sustainable alternative to its customers, the freight and passenger shipping company Finnlines is significantly changing its services in the UK. Starting in September, Finnlines will launch a new freight service from Finland to London Medway, with further connections to Belgium, Spain, and Ireland.

The new connection will give customers shorter transit times and increased cargo capacity. Customers can access the entire Finnlines and the Grimaldi Group network via Zeebrugge and Antwerp, which provides expanded business opportunities. London Medway is located on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, with a short sea connection to the Continent.

The port’s infrastructure is well-developed, with a rail network and direct access to the motorway. The service will be operated by three Finneco-class hybrid ro-ro vessels, each with a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres, equivalent to around 400 trailers. The innovative vessel layout enables faster and more efficient loading and unloading operations besides enhanced flexibility to load any type of cargo, long, heavy up to a height of 7 metres.

To reduce emissions, the vessels are equipped with advanced technologies, such as air lubrication, a high-powered battery bank, and solar panels. “Finnlines continues to strengthen its services by increasing cargo capacity for the UK service. Furthermore, launching our new service from Sheerness secures an important trade route between England and the Continent, further solidifying our position in the market.

We are constantly improving our services to our customers and looking for new growth opportunities,” says Merja Kallio-Mannila, Finnlines’ Commercial Director. London Medway is managed by the Peel Ports Group, a leading port operator and full-service logistics provider. The terminal is equipped to handle a wide range of cargo types, including automotive, steel, wood, forestry, and project cargo, and it offers facilities for ro-ro cargo.

“Location is everything, and as a port, London Medway’s proximity to the nation’s capital and distribution networks means it is perfectly positioned to connect importers and exporters with their markets.

We expect this new service will be popular with established and emerging markets, which are seeing strong growth in the southeast of the UK, particularly forest products in high demand.

London Medway also handles a vast array of cargo, including automotive, steel and ro-ro, so we expect a wide variety of commodities to be transported on Finnlines’ versatile fleet, placing the port as a key interchange between Scandinavia and Iberian markets,” says Richard Goffin, Port Director for Peel Ports Group, London Medway.