Wilmington Port Adds Weekly Container Service to Europe
The Port of Wilmington is adding an additional weekly container service connecting Southeastern North Carolina to destinations in Europe, the port said Feb. 23.
The service, featuring ships from Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Maersk Line carrying about 5,000 20-foot equivalent units, is expected to begin in April. It connects to some of the largest ports in Germany, England, Belgium and France.
“An optimized transatlantic trade network allows us to align our services with North Carolina’s business needs,” Paul Cozza, the port's executive director, said in a statement. “As we continue to invest in our facilities we’ll see even more activity at our Port of Wilmington, thus furthering our economic contribution to the state.”
The new service is the latest for the port, which in October announced a new container service connecting the port to Asia.
“This service opens up capacity for supplementary imports and exports from markets in Northern Europe,” Chief Commercial Officer Greg Fennell said in a statement. “To have the top two container carriers in the world come together and provide service options for us on the transatlantic and transpacific side is pretty special.”
It also comes in the midst of numerous improvements at the port to accommodate larger ships.
In January, the port announced it has ordered two new Panamax cranes for $27.4 million. Other projects have included widening the port's turning basin, berth improvements and expansions to the port's container yard — all at a total of about $120 million.
