Europe short-sea consolidation steps up with Delphis buying Portlink

Europe short-sea consolidation steps up with Delphis buying Portlink    Antwerp, Belgium-based European short-sea carrier Delphis has bought Portlink from A.P. Moller-Maersk subsidiary Safmarine Container Lines for an undisclosed amount.
   Portlink, also located in Antwerp, is active on the North Europe/Iberia trade offering feeder and door-to-door services to and from Rotterdam, Antwerp and Felixstowe.
   Last month, Delphis paid 40 million euros ($51.2 million) for Team Lines, North Europe’s second-largest feeder operator, from Finnish carrier Finnlines.
   “With this acquisition, Delphis will improve its European transport network and continue the consolidation process that was initiated by the purchase of Team Lines. The new extensive network will offer customers frequent, cost-effective and proactive transport solutions from Gibraltar to Saint-Petersburg,” Delphis said in a statement.
   The sale of Portlink comes only days after the A.P. Moller-Maersk group agreed the sale of another short-sea operator, the European continent/Ireland carrier Norfolk Line Containers to DFDS.