European shortsea operator Neptune Lines is marking its second decade of uninterrupted activity in the Black Sea at a time when carmakers and their logistics providers are focusing again on the area as an access point to markets including Russia, Romania and Turkey.
Most recently the company has reported providing services for Ford, which is using the Romanian port of Constanta, on the Black Sea, for exports from its plant in Craiova, as well as including it as a port in its logistics chain between Germany and Turkey.
Neptune Lines began operating in the Black Sea in 1993 and since then has transported more than 200,000 units from and to the major ports in the area.
“Even when volumes and demand dropped significantly as a result of the crisis in the sector, forcing all major carriers to withdraw from servicing the area, Neptune Lines remained at the Black Sea providing reliable services tailored to the needs of its customers,” said the company in a statement.
The forwarder calls at Constanta every five days as well as making weekly calls at the port of Ilyichevsk and calls every 10 days at Novorossiysk. The capacity of the vessels calling at the ports ranges between 1,800 and 4,000 according to the company.
“When our customers required high volume and high frequency services ex Constanta to the Western Mediterranean, as well as to North Africa, Neptune Lines was there to assist and established a new loop according to these specific requirements,” said the spokesperson.
Neptune Lines has been working with logistics provider Gefco since 2008 on regular services from Italy and Spain to Illyichevsk and, as revealed at this year’s Automotive Logistics Russia conference held in Moscow in June, it is now working with Gefco and TMBC on a service moving vehicles through Novorossiysk.
According to the company, this service offers access directly into Russia from ports in Spain, France and the Adriatic, with potential for expansion to other areas.
Neptune Lines also provides services to Sevastopol and is working on a service to the port of Poti in Georgia.
