Samskip has launched a new shortsea container route connecting Agadir and Casablanca in Morocco directly with the UK and the Netherlands.
Samskip said its Morocco reefer service is specially designed to meet the needs of the fresh produce sector and will provide the fastest door-to-door transit time in the market, thus offering a viable alternative to traditional road transport for Moroccan fruits and vegetables.
The transport of produce is in fulfilment of a long-term agreement recently signed by Samskip and the Moroccan Fruit Board.
The new service will have weekly non-stop sailings and an integrated door-to-door solution to provide seamless customs clearance and inland transport for perishable goods bound for key European markets, according to Samskip.
"We’ve listened to growers, importers, and retailers, and will deliver a service that’s faster, greener, and more reliable," said Ólafur Orri Ólafsson, Chief Business Officer at Samskip.
Samskip said that its transshipment and cross-docking capabilities will mean that customers can deliver throughout Europe, to Norway, Poland, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic states in just a matter of days after arrival in Rotterdam.
Deliveries to Ireland can be achieved within just six days of departure from Agadir, which Samskip promotes as a new option for Irish importers looking for faster logistics from North Africa.