WEC Lines has announced the launch of a new direct, weekly service with short transit times connecting Portugal and Spain with Ireland and the UK.
The new weekly service will begin on 29 June 2024 and will be performed by an 812-TEU-owned vessel in a fixed-day rotation, departing Bilbao on Saturdays, arriving in Dublin on Mondays, and Liverpool on Tuesdays.
Liverpool will now be called twice a week by WEC Lines, as it is also a port of call in the existing NSC UK/PT service.
In addition, this route integrates with the company’s rail connections between Bilbao and Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Agoncillo (La Rioja) as well as its existing short sea linkages with Setúbal, Leixões, Vigo, Gijón, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Casablanca and Agadir.
The service connecting the Iberian Peninsula with Dublin and Liverpool will reportedly safeguard complete and real-time information, thorough monitoring, and immediate operational actions throughout the entire transportation process which is particularly relevant when shipping temperature-sensitive, food-grade, or dangerous cargo.
Roger Megann, Managing Director of WEC Lines UK, said: “We have been active in the Irish market for over 30 years from Portugal and following our successful entry into the Spanish market in 2021 by connecting Bilbao to Liverpool our clients in both trades have been requesting WEC Lines to add Dublin and offer a wider product scope.
“This was further encouraged when we entered the reefer market at the beginning of 2024 as there is a strong reefer trade between Ireland, Spain and Portugal.”
“We are delighted with this new upgrade and expansion of our current services, adding a weekly direct service to Dublin from Bilbao from where we connect with our sustainable, weekly rail network to inland Spain,” stated Patrick Ram, Managing Director WEC Lines España.
“This also creates new opportunities from Canary Islands, Gijón and Vigo in line with our goals of continuously adding value to our products and our commitment to providing the best customer service to our clients.”
Earlier this year, WEC Lines underwent a full rebranding to represent its commitment to user-friendly design and a stronger brand identity.