Swedish-based Wallenius SOL acquired two ro-ro ships from Royal Wagenborg, together with a long-term Contract of Affreightment (CoA) with Smurfit Westrock, Europe's largest kraftliner mill, located in Piteå in the Nordic nation.
The agreement marks a significant step in Wallenius SOL's continued build-out of a scalable, sustainable maritime infrastructure connecting the Bay of Bothnia with the European continent.
Its acquisition of the ro-ro’s Bothniaborg and Balticborg from Wagenborg extends Wallenius SOL's fleet and capacity, reinforcing its ability to serve the region's industrial customers with reliable, frequent, and sustainable connections year-round, including during the demanding winter ice season.
Founded in 2019 with a clear mandate to build a sustainable logistics infrastructure at sea for the industries of the Baltic region, Wallenius SOL has grown into northern Europe's leading industrial ro-ro carrier. With its fleet of ice-classed vessels, including the multi-fuel flagships Baltic Enabler and Botnia Enabler, among the world's largest ice-breaking RoRo ships, the company operates a scalable, open system connecting the Bay of Bothnia's industrial heartland with key ports across Northern Europe.
A long-term partnership with Smurfit Westrock, whose group’s global headquarters is based at Beech Hill, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4.
"Bothniaborg and Balticborg have been at the heart of a long-standing collaboration with Smurfit Westrock since 2004. Together, we have built and operated a reliable service in a demanding region, which makes this a moment we look back on with appreciation. At the same time, we are pleased that both vessels have found a new home with Wallenius SOL to continue their journey,” says Egbert Vuursteen, CEO Royal Wagenborg.
Smurfit Westrock's mill in Piteå is the largest kraftliner facility in Europe, with an annual production capacity of 700,000 tonnes of unbleached and white-top kraftliner. The mill is also Piteå's largest private employer and operates with a strong sustainability profile, with its operations powered primarily by renewable energy.
As part of this transaction, Wagenborg's existing Contract of Affreightment with Smurfit Westrock will transfer to Walleniuse SOL AB, ensuring full continuity of service for the mill's logistics operations.
The partnership will evolve over time as Wallenius SOL integrates Smurfit Westrock's volumes fully into its shipping network, transitioning from current stowage modes to ro-ro cassette operations and eventually connecting the Piteå flow to next-generation vessels as part of Wallenius SOL's long-term newbuilding programme.
The transaction represents Wagenborg’s strategic focus on its core activities in ice class general cargo shipping. While RoRo operations have played a valuable role over the years, Wagenborg is confident that Bothniaborg and Balticborg, together with the associated contract, will be in strong hands at Wallenius SOL's established and growing network.
Wallenius SOL's scalable infrastructure and long-term investment commitments provide the right platform to continue developing these services for the benefit of industrial customers in the Bay of Bothnia.
