Geestdijk, the new 812-TEU container vessel launched to serve Geest North Sea Line’s (‘Geest’) thrice-weekly service between Hull and Rotterdam, has made its maiden call at Hull Container Terminal, which is operated by PD Port Services, based at Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Hull.
Geestdijk has joined her sister ship Geeststroom on the Hull service, boosting Geest’s capacity on their door-to-door services between the UK and Europe. The vessels will now sail along Geest’s routes between Rotterdam and Tilbury, and Rotterdam and Hull.
More than twice the size of the previous largest ship in Geest’s fleet, Geestdijk and Geeststroom were purpose-built to carry a full load of 45-ft pallet-wide containers, as well as a mixture of heavy 20-ft tanks and 30-ft bulk containers. Damen Shipyards in Galatz, Romania, constructed the two vessels.
Matthew Kennerley, ABP port director for Hull & Goole said: “I am delighted to welcome Geestdijk to Hull. The commitment that Geest has shown to the port with these newbuildings only serves to demonstrate that Hull’s excellent geographical location is well suited to grow its short-sea container business well into the future.”
Geest North Sea Line's commercial director, Gerard de Groot, explained that the new ships were placed on the Rotterdam - Hull route because the Port of Hull's hinterland offered the best cargo-generating possibilities:
"These new ships are more than twice the size of the vessels we were operating previously and we had to be sure that we could secure the necessary cargo volumes. Hull has been able to deliver the volumes we have needed to fill Geeststroom and we are confident the port can do the same with Geestdijk. The port has excellent links to the M62 corridor through Leeds and on to Manchester and Liverpool."
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