Finnlines presents its direct Gdynia connection in Bilbao

The recent addition to Finnlines’ weekly North Sea & Biscay ro-ro service of a call at Gdynia has been warmly welcomed both by the Grimaldi Group company’s customers and by the port communities involved. Thanks to this enhancement, the route now connects Poland not only to Northern Europe but also to the Group’s entire global network, which includes the Far East, Middle East, Mediterranean, West Africa, plus North and South America.

This important development was presented in Bilbao on 10 October during an event attended, among others, by Ivan Jiménez Aira, President of the Port Authority of Bilbao, and Monika Krzepkowska, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Spain.

Finnlines Line Manager Blasco Majorana underlined how the expansion of this route “strengthens the links between Northern and Western Europe” and “opens up new opportunities for more efficient and sustainable freight transport, offering a practical and advantageous intermodal alternative to road transport for goods to and from Poland, with origin or destination in Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Finland.”

The connection, provided by hybrid Finneco-class vessels, allows the transport of rolling freight, breakbulk, containers, cars and special cargo, with one of the lowest carbon footprints on the market.

As part of the service upgrade, during the summer Finnlines also introduced new 80-foot (approximately 25-metre) mafi trailers with integrated rails, specifically designed to facilitate the efficient and flexible transport of non-standardized cargo such as trains and wagons.

As Majorana put it, “This way Finnlines reaffirms its commitment to developing sustainable solutions, promoting innovation and delivering reliable logistics services.”

Meanwhile, Gorka Zabala, General Director of Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza — the company representing Finnlines in Bilbao — emphasized that this is “a highly significant step for the European logistics chain. The new service enhances the value of the next-generation Finneco hybrid vessels, which can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90%, efficiently transporting rolling cargo (cars, vans, trucks, etc.), project cargo, containers and a wide variety of goods. We’re talking about a future that is already here: more sustainable, innovative and competitive maritime transport.”

“Once again, Toro y Betolaza confirms its commitment in this field and reiterates the way our efforts translate into concrete actions: investments in state-of-the-art equipment, certification, international sustainability awards and participation in energy innovation projects,” Zabala concluded.

For her part, Monika Krzepkowska highlighted the strategic importance of “a modern maritime link between Gdynia and Bilbao, between Poland and Spain, which effectively connects the extremes of Europe. Today, thanks to its modernization and European transport corridors, Poland’s second-largest port continues to serve as a key connection point between the Baltic and the Atlantic. For this reason, the route represents much more than a mere logistical link: it’s a commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly transport, to an integrated economy and to a truly interconnected Europe, where distances are shortened and opportunities multiplied.”

Finally, Ivan Jiménez Aira stressed that “this ro-ro connection with Poland constitutes a great opportunity for companies wishing to expand their presence in Central European markets, allowing operators to diversify their routes. At the same time, it offers a fast and efficient alternative to attract freight traffic currently transported by road.”

“With this strategic move,” President Jiménez Aira concluded, “the Grimaldi Group and Finnlines, with the support of Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza, have strengthened the role of Bilbao as a key port for Atlantic markets, offering integrated solutions for companies operating along the Spain–Eastern Europe corridor.”