In a significant move set to reshape regional shipping dynamics, Samskip has agreed to sell its UK and Ireland quay-to-quay and door-to-door freight business to CLdN, subject to regulatory approval.
The transaction secures service continuity for customers while enabling both companies to sharpen their strategic focus—Samskip on long-distance multimodal growth and CLdN on strengthening its short-sea presence between mainland Europe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Scope of the Transaction
The deal covers Samskip’s container services operating between Rotterdam and key ports in the UK and Ireland, including Belfast, Hull, Tilbury, Dublin, and Cork. The network represents more than 1,000 annual port calls.
As part of the agreement, over 5,000 multimodal cargo units and related supplier agreements will be transferred to CLdN, ensuring operational continuity and stability for customers across the corridor.
Strategic Realignment for Samskip
For Samskip, the divestment marks a decisive step in refining its network priorities. The company will now intensify its focus on longer-distance multimodal trades across mainland Europe, the Nordics, the Baltics, and North Africa.
Ólafur Orri Ólafsson, CEO of Samskip, expressed confidence in the transaction, stating that the move allows the company to concentrate on key strategic markets of the future, where it will continue to invest in its organization and expand longer-distance trades that deliver the greatest value to customers.
The decision reinforces Samskip’s positioning as a long-distance multimodal operator with sustainability at the core of its business model.
CLdN Strengthens Short-Sea Footprint
For CLdN, the acquisition significantly enhances its short-sea container shipping offering for both existing and new customers between mainland Europe, the UK, and Ireland.
Florent Maes, CEO of CLdN, noted that customers will benefit from increased sailing frequency and improved multimodal service integration. The transaction aligns fully with CLdN’s broader strategy of offering complementary roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) services for mixed cargo alongside lift-on/lift-off (LoLo) container services.
Customer Impact and Market Outlook
The move signals a clearer network prioritization by both companies. While Samskip sharpens its long-haul multimodal focus, CLdN consolidates its position as a key short-sea operator in Northwest Europe.
Subject to regulatory clearance, the transaction is expected to strengthen operational efficiencies, enhance service reliability, and provide expanded connectivity across one of Europe’s most strategically important freight corridors.
