Finnlines to open new Finland-UK freight route

Finnlines is set to launch a new freight service from Finland to London Medway located in Sheerness, with further connections available to Belgium, Spain, and Ireland. The first arrival will take place on September 23, 2024.

The new service is part of Finnlines’ strategy to improve service sustainability and route network, and it will be operated with three Finneco-class vessels calling London Medway once a week.

The new connection will provide customers with shorter transit times and increased cargo capacity. Customers can access the entire Finnlines and the Grimaldi Group network via Zeebrügge and Antwerp, which provides expanded business opportunities.

London Medway is located on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, with a short sea connection to the continent. Finnlines said the infrastructure in the port is well-developed with a rail network and a direct access to the motorway. Its proximity to London, the UK’s largest commercial hub, makes it an ideal gateway for businesses seeking to expand in this critical region.

The service will be operated by three Finneco-class hybrid Ro-Ro vessels, each with a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres, equivalent to around 400 trailers. The vessels' layout enables faster and more efficient loading and unloading operations besides enhanced flexibility to load any type of cargo, long, heavy up to a height of seven metres.