Samskip switches to single brand

Samskip switches to single brand    Reykjavik, Iceland-based Samskip on Saturday incorporated all of its subsidiaries under a single brand, dropping the names of its European short-sea carriers Geest North Sea Line and Seawheel.
   Samskip’s operations include short-sea container shipping and intermodal activities, reefer logistics, forwarding and transport services for bulk and conventional cargo. The enlarged group operates 30 containerships with more than 13,000 containers, ranging from 20-foot to 45-foot pallet-wide high-cube containers including reefers, curtain-siders and flat-racks.
   Samskip’s recent purchases include Geest, Seawheel, Kloosterboer and Van Dieren Maritime. Recently it has agreed to buy the European short-sea activities of Spain’s Odiel Bilbao from its Madrid-based holding company Naviera del Odiel SA.
   “This is an exciting day for the company and its staff,” said Michael F. Hassing, Samskip’s chief executive officer. “With the new corporate identity, Samskip’s diverse activities are being united and we will go forward as one company with one brand and one system.”
   Early next year, Samskip will transfer all of its international operations into a new building in Rotterdam’s Old Port area.