Neoline has announced the expansion of its regular transatlantic line. With its first stop in Zeebrugge scheduled for September 18, the Neoliner Origin, a wind-powered ro-ro cargo ship, is extending its line, which will now connect Zeebrugge, Montoir-de-Bretagne, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Baltimore, and Halifax.
As part of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges complex, Zeebrugge is one of Europe’s major ports for roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro), automotive, and out-of-gauge (OOG) cargo traffic—making it a particularly strategic port of call for the Neoliner Origin.
Shippers who import or export goods through this port can now access an industrial-scale wind-powered shipping solution to reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chain.
Developed in partnership with the CMA CGM Group’s sales teams, this expansion extends the rotation by a few days without altering the transit-time commitments made to the pioneering shippers on the route from Montoir-de-Bretagne to Baltimore and St. Pierre & Miquelon.
Going forward, the Neoliner Origin’s rotation will take 5 weeks during the summer and 6 weeks during the winter, for a total of about ten rotations per year.
The transit times associated with this new port of call are as follows:
- Zeebrugge => Montoir: 3j (one-way)
- Zeebrugge <=> Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon: 14j westbound / 21j eastbound
- Zeebrugge <=> Baltimore: 20j westbound / 15j eastbound
- Zeebrugge <=> Halifax: 24j westbound / 11j eastbound
“As a result of the joint efforts of the sales teams at CMA CGM and Neoline, we are today launching our service in a new European industrial hub, Zeebrugge, which has shown genuine interest in our wind-powered shipping solution. This new development allows us to expand our market and, in particular, to enhance our appeal for return cargo, while maintaining the quality of service we provide to our existing customers.” says Jean Zanuttini, President of Neoline.
This expansion of the line is part of Neoline’s development strategy, which aims to strengthen service to the North Atlantic while expanding its access to the European market.
Indeed, the addition of the port call at Zeebrugge, combined with the CMA CGM Group’s marketing capabilities, will enable Neoline to access a major European freight market—particularly for roll-on/roll-off, automotive, and out-of-gauge cargo—while leveraging its excellent connections to the European hinterland (Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and northern France). This expansion thus strengthens Neoline’s ability to offer a credible low-carbon alternative to a growing number of shippers, ahead of a potential expansion with new vessels.
