Santurtzi, June 1, 2021. As proof of WEC Lines’ success and commitment to the Port of Bilbao, the shipping company is adding a larger ship to its weekly direct container service that began in January to Northern Europe and the United Kingdom.
The new vessel, which was presented with a commemorative plaque at CSP Iberian Bilbao Terminal, is the WEC VAN EYCK, with a capacity of 835 TEUs compared to the 658 TEUs of its predecessor. The addition of this vessel to the service also represents an increase in the capacity of European shortsea shipping, expanding WEC Lines’ market options for reducing carbon emissions and offering the possibility of transferring cargo from truck or rail to ship.
The shipping company has also announced that, just four months after the service began, the line will include a direct call at the English port of Thamesport, following the increase in cargo volume they are experiencing after Brexit. Furthermore, rail connections from the Port of Bilbao will be improved.
Moerdijk, in the Netherlands, is the main continental home port for this line, while in the UK it calls at Thamesport, Immingham, Teesport, and Blyth. It also docks at the Norwegian ports of Oslo, Moss, and Kristinasand; the German port of Duisburg; and the Polish port of Wroclaw.
This shipping company also offers another weekly service from the Port of Bilbao to the Canary Islands and Casablanca. The Bilbao-Canary Islands service is emblematic, as it was the route with which WEC began operating in Spain in 2008.
Recent developments and milestones achieved at our Bilbao terminal
The lighting has been upgraded to LED technology, and AI-powered intrusion cameras have been installed around the entire perimeter. This system exceeds the security standards required for a container terminal, enabling us to obtain Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status for customs simplification and enhanced security.
With the aim of optimizing the work, arrivals and time of the carriers, the terminal has also designed an access query website for the delivery and collection of containers, where the carrier can check if their cargo is ready to be collected, avoiding fruitless trips.
On the other hand, we have a 42,000-square-meter rail terminal and a dedicated container yard (megablock) with a daily capacity of 3,000 TEUs, featuring four 550-meter-long tracks. The terminal boasts an innovative crane system that enables automatic positioning, reads various references, adapts to different train types, and handles diverse train configurations and wagons.
As with its truck access gates, the rail terminal features OCR technology, implemented in collaboration with the e-puertobilbao platform, enabling complete integration of rail traffic with Customs. This integration involves a series of processes designed to allow the terminal to send automatic EDI messages upon completion of train loading, including the train’s composition.
