Ro-Ro shipping company Sallaum Lines has launched Sallaum Logistics Ltd, a dedicated European automotive logistics company designed to extend its vehicle transportation network from sea to road.
Headquartered in Lithuania, Sallaum Logistics will focus on the inland movement of finished vehicles between European factories, ports, distribution centres and dealerships. The new company is intended to provide automotive manufacturers, OEMs, fleet operators and dealers with an integrated vehicle logistics solution from port to final destination.
Sallaum Lines will continue to focus on global Ro-Ro ocean transportation, while the new logistics arm will manage the inland stage of the vehicle journey. Its services will include cross-border vehicle transportation, fleet distribution, port-to-dealer deliveries and port-to-distribution-centre movements.
The company will initially operate across Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, France, the Czech Republic and Poland. Its European network will be centred on major automotive gateways including Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam and Marseille, together with inland vehicle distribution hubs.
Sallaum Logistics will begin operations with an initial fleet of 50 truck-and-trailer units, with plans to expand its owned fleet to 300 trucks by 2029. The multi-car transporters will be capable of carrying up to 10 vehicles, depending on vehicle type, route and local road regulations.
The company will use a combination of owned and strategically leased vehicles as it scales. It also plans to deploy GPS tracking, telematics and route-optimisation technology to improve fleet efficiency, cargo visibility and delivery coordination.
In addition to transportation, Sallaum Logistics will offer vehicle processing, pre-delivery inspection and storage at selected locations, building on existing operations at the Port of Antwerp. This will allow the company to provide a broader finished-vehicle logistics service rather than focusing solely on road transportation.
Sami Sallaum, Chairman of Sallaum Lines, said the new business represents a natural extension of the company’s vehicle logistics activities, taking its established maritime expertise further inland. CEO Edvinas Rybelis said the company aims to make inland vehicle movement more visible, reliable and efficient for customers.
Sallaum Logistics also plans to focus on responsible fleet growth, including Euro-compliant vehicles, fuel-efficiency measures, route optimisation and eventual electrification for suitable shorter-distance operations.
The launch comes as European automotive supply chains become increasingly dependent on coordinated port, road and distribution networks. By linking its ocean Ro-Ro operations with dedicated inland transportation, Sallaum Lines is seeking to provide a more integrated solution for finished vehicle movements across Europe.
The new road logistics operation could also strengthen Sallaum’s position in the European finished-vehicle market by giving manufacturers and dealers a single logistics partner across multiple stages of the supply chain.