Tailwind’s Dolphin Express Service to call at additional ports
HAMBURG: Beginning in mid-October, Tailwind Shipping Lines’ existing Dolphin Express Service (DEX) will operate as an intra-European short-sea service with additional port calls. Lidl’s container shipping company is expanding its Moerdijk–Barcelona route to include calls at Antwerp in Belgium, Setúbal in Portugal, Cádiz in Spain, and Casablanca in Morocco. The 21-day rotation will operate weekly from the north, with Tailwind heading directly to Moerdijk on the return voyage from Barcelona, as before.
Ships already part of the Tailwind fleet
Three 1,380 TEU container ships, which are already part of the Tailwind fleet, will be deployed on the DEX. The “Panda 004” and “Panda 005” are already being used on the current DEX route. The “Panda 003”, which has recently been under subcharter, will be returning to Tailwind with the launch of the expanded liner service.
More efficient and sustainable flow of goods
Tailwind is adopting the new route in order to manage the flow of goods within Europe even more efficiently and sustainably in the future. Nico Peters, VP Commercial Management at Tailwind Shipping Lines, explains: “Thanks to the higher cargo capacity of modern ships, sea transport has the advantage of lower CO2 emissions per container transported compared to transport by conventional diesel trucks.” With the expanded Dolphin Express, Tailwind is also bringing its reliable service to additional ports in Western Europe and North Africa, both for Lidl and third-party customers.
Moerdijk: connections to the hinterland
In addition, Moerdijk provides connections to the hinterland. From there – in partnership with WEC Lines, A2B and the Danser Group – a barge connection to Duisburg exists as an alternative to road haulage.
In addition, the port call in Casablanca will enable a fast connection from Morocco to China. In Barcelona, the shipping company can arrange transshipment to the Panda Express Service bound for the East Asia.
Both the Panda Express Service (between China and the Mediterranean) and the recently expanded Tiger Express Service (between Bangladesh, Malaysia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka) will continue to operate according to their usual schedules.