European short-sea ro-ro and lo-lo operator CLdN has completed its move of shipping operations from Luxembourg to the United Kingdom.
The move to the UK is a natural evolution for CLdN, as the company has been operating freight connections to that nation for more than 60 years and owns and operates port terminals in London, Killingholme, and Liverpool (with its Irish Sea operations). Furthermore, around three quarters of our sailings currently start or end in a UK port.
In addition, the development will benefit CLdN's talent pool and maritime expertise that the UK offers as a leading seafaring nation. In connection with the move, the company welcomed UK Aviation, Maritime, and Decarbonisation Minister Keir Mather last Thursday (21 May) to their London terminal in Purfleet
A CLdN team, including CEO Florent Maes, provided a tour of the 130-hectare facility, which is an essential trade gateway between the UK and mainland Europe.
CLdN operates 17 return sailings per week between Purfleet and ports in Zeebrugge, Belgium, and the Dutch port of Rotterdam. CLdN management also gave its perspective on the current trading environment and held a briefing aboard the CLdN vessel MV Pauline.
Minister Mather said, "CLdN's decision to base its shipping operations in the UK underlines the strength of our ports, our people, and our economy and is exactly the kind of investment that drives growth, supports trade, and creates quality jobs."
As Afloat reported in February, CLdN announced the acquisition of the UK and Ireland operations of Samskip's (lo-lo) container business between Belgium and Ireland. The transaction will provide customers with an even broader array of options for freight connections between Ireland, mainland Europe and the UK.
