A weekly Ro-Ro link bridging Northern and Western Europe with a greener, more connected logistics chain
Finnlines, part of the Grimaldi Group, has launched a new weekly Ro-Ro freight service connecting the Port of Bilbao in Spain with the Polish port of Gdynia. The route, represented in Bilbao by Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza, departs every Saturday and marks a major step in connecting Northern and Western Europe through a more sustainable and efficient intermodal corridor.
During the official presentation in Bilbao, industry and diplomatic representatives underlined the strategic impact of the new link. Among them were Blasco Majorana, Finnlines Line Manager; Iván Jiménez Aira, President of the Port Authority of Bilbao; Gorka Zabala, General Manager of Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza; and Monika Krzepkowska, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Spain.
Strengthening Europe’s freight corridors
According to Majorana, the service “strengthens connections between Northern and Western Europe, opening up new opportunities for more efficient and sustainable freight transport.” He described it as a practical alternative to long-haul trucking for goods moving between Poland, Belgium, France, the UK, Spain, and Finland.
But the service’s significance doesn’t stop there. As Majorana added, it “links Poland directly to the Grimaldi Group’s global network,” providing access to long-distance trade routes reaching the Far East, Middle East, Mediterranean, West Africa, South America, and the U.S. East Coast.
That kind of reach can make all the difference in today’s congested and volatile logistics market. When trucks face bottlenecks at borders and rising emissions costs, sea-based solutions like this one can keep supply chains fluid — and greener.
Hybrid vessels, tangible sustainability
The line will be operated by Finnlines’ next-generation Finneco-class hybrid Ro-Ro vessels, among the most energy-efficient ships currently in service. Built for flexibility, these vessels can carry rolling cargo, containers, vehicles, breakbulk, and project cargo — essentially anything that moves by land or sea.
“The Finneco-class vessels can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90%,” said Zabala. “We’re talking about a future that has already become present — a more sustainable, innovative, and competitive maritime transport.”
Each vessel — Finneco I, Finneco II, and Finneco III — has a cargo capacity of up to 420 trailers or 2,500 vehicles. They feature lithium-ion batteries for zero-emission port operations, 600 square meters of solar panels, and an air-bubble lubrication system that cuts hull friction.
Finnlines has also introduced new 80-foot MAFI platforms with integrated rails designed for non-standard cargo such as trains and wagons — a sign that flexibility, not just capacity, is the key driver behind this initiative.
A bridge between the Baltic and the Atlantic
For Poland’s ambassador Monika Krzepkowska, the route is more than just another freight service. “Today we can celebrate a modern maritime connection between Gdynia and Bilbao, between Poland and Spain,” she said. “It is a commitment to an integrated economy and to a truly interconnected Europe, where distances are shortened and opportunities multiplied.”
Meanwhile, Bilbao’s port chief Iván Jiménez Aira noted that the new connection offers “a major opportunity for companies seeking to expand their presence in Central Europe” and provides “an agile and efficient alternative to attract cargo currently transported by road.”
With this new link, the Grimaldi Group and Finnlines, supported by Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza, are reinforcing the Port of Bilbao’s position as a central hub in Atlantic trade — one that connects the continent’s far corners through sustainable sea routes rather than asphalt highways.
