Transfennica, part of the Spliethoff group, started the route only 1.5 years ago with two vessels operating in a pattern of three sailings per week in each direction. By adding a similar vessel, with equivalent capacity and speed, the total number of sailings will increase to five per week.

No economic reasons will be left to use road being faced with the difficulty of the 48 hour working week, expensive toll roads, traffic jams and restrictions imposed by European and local laws, argues Transfennica.

“We are extremely pleased that we are able to take this decision in these difficult economic times,” said the line’s director Michael van den Heuvel. “Our customers need to optimise their operations to save cost and we are providing them with opportunities to do so. The additional sailings will increase options to now really stop going by road and switch entirely to an efficient unaccompanied operation.

 “Many customers over the last 20 months have joined us and all of them have discovered the benefits. It is safer, cheaper and cleaner. Up to 2000 kms are saved per roundtrip. On certain routes, savings of upto 20% are being obtained. Our fixed hour schedules allow for more efficient planning of available driver hours and provide exceptional possibilities for out of gauge and project cargo. And most importantly, companies can grow their business without adding trucks or maintain current levels with up to 30% fewer trucks and drivers.”

To further encourage the industry, Transfennica is offering until mid-September, for the Monday departures, an all- in freight rate of €450 for unaccompanied standard trailers on the Iberia route.

Bilbao/Zeebrugge is the first and so far biggest “Motorway of the Sea” project supported by the EU’s Marco Polo modal shift programme. Transfennica reported substantial losses during the first year, but says it now sees clear opportunities in these testing economic times.