Boluda Shipping’s acquisition of Samskip will expand short-sea shipping connections between Northern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa
Boluda Shipping and Samskip have signed an agreement for Boluda Shipping to acquire Samskip, paving the way for the creation of one of Europe’s most comprehensive short-sea shipping networks.
The combined network is expected to strengthen connections between Northern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa, offering customers greater capacity, more route options and improved service efficiency and reliability.
The integration will bring together the expertise, operational capabilities and best practices of both organisations, with the aim of expanding their service offering and delivering enhanced connectivity across key European and international trade routes.
The agreement marks a significant milestone for the two family-owned businesses, which share longstanding histories in transport and logistics, alongside complementary capabilities and common values.
The acquisition is intended to build on the strengths of both organisations, creating new opportunities for growth while providing customers with a broader network of shipping services and stronger transport links.
The transaction is expected to close on 1 January 2027, subject to approval from the relevant authorities and fulfilment of the agreed closing conditions.
Ignacio Boluda Ceballos, Executive Chairman of Boluda Shipping, said: “We have a clear vision: to lead European short sea shipping and make our network a competitive advantage for the businesses that place their trust in us. Bringing Samskip’s network and expertise together with our maritime and logistics capabilities gives us the scale and opportunities to take that ambition further. We see significant potential to strengthen connections across Europe and with West Africa, while continuing to focus on efficiency, reliability and service for our customers.”
Ólafur Orri Ólafsson, CEO of Samskip, said: “Samskip and Boluda are two family-owned companies with a long track record in transport, shared values and a long-term vision. That common ground gives us confidence in the opportunity ahead. By bringing our complementary strengths together, we can expand what we offer our customers while building on the expertise, commitment and service they rely on every day.”
Boluda and Samskip already have an established relationship through their joint services in Spain. This cooperation has helped the companies understand each other’s businesses and identify opportunities to combine their strengths.
Boluda brings a long maritime heritage, a strong position in towage, an established container shipping business and extensive expertise in port logistics.
Samskip contributes its established position in Northern Europe, its multimodal expertise, its extensive customer relationships and its knowledge of the markets it serves.
Together, their capabilities will support more comprehensive and efficient end-to-end logistics services, offering customers greater connectivity and access to more markets. The combined network will connect maritime, rail and road transport, with terminals playing a key role in coordinating the movement of goods across the logistics chain.
Combining sea and rail transport with road services for the collection and delivery of goods can also help reduce CO₂ emissions compared with road-only transport.
Following completion, the combined network is expected to comprise of 32 vessels operating 18 routes and connecting markets in 28 countries. Its 21 maritime terminals will link these corridors and bring maritime and land transport services closer to major centers of production and consumption. This network on land will be further strengthened by its 5 rail terminals and more than 500 company-owned trucks. The network is also expected to handle a total of 35,000 containers, representing annual logistics throughput of more than 750,000 TEUs.
Building on the multimodal model that has been central to its development over the past decade, Boluda Shipping intends to invest in the combined network, strengthening capacity, expanding connections and laying the foundation for the next phase of growth for both companies and their customers.
The acquisition builds on Boluda’s expansion in Northern Europe, where the Group has maintained a strong presence for several years through Boluda Towage’s harbour towage operations and Boluda Shipping’s maritime transport and logistics activities. The opening of its new offices in Rotterdam last June further reinforced this commitment and highlighted the region’s importance to the Group’s international development.
For Samskip, headquartered in the Netherlands, Rotterdam is also a key hub for its operations.
The experience of both organizations in the region, along with their combined capabilities, will make Rotterdam a strategic location for the development and coordination of services across the combined network.
The opportunity created by the agreement extends beyond routes, vessels and infrastructure. Both companies bring experienced teams, established customer relationships and operational knowledge built over many years.
The purpose of the integration is to bring together the strengths and best practices of both organizations across operations, management systems and customer service, while identifying opportunities to develop the combined network and create further opportunities for customers and professionals.
Samskip’s brand, Icelandic origins and established recognition in its markets will remain an important part of the story of the combined business. Ólafur Orri Ólafsson will stay on as CEO of Samskip and play a key role going forward, contributing his experience while supporting Samskip’s teams throughout the integration under the new ownership.
