Spanish shipping group Boluda Shipping has signed an agreement to acquire Iceland-founded, Rotterdam-headquartered Samskip, including all of its assets and operations, the companies confirmed on October 28. The deal would merge two established short-sea and multimodal logistics operators into a combined network running 32 vessels across 18 maritime routes in 28 countries.
The transaction is expected to close on January 1, 2027, subject to regulatory approval and the fulfilment of agreed closing conditions. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Until completion, Boluda Shipping and Samskip will continue to operate independently.
Deal Structure and Network Scope
Boluda Shipping and Samskip signed the agreement in Reykjavik, with Boluda acquiring 100 percent of the Dutch multimodal logistics company. The combined business is designed to connect Northern Europe with the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa, drawing on Boluda’s container shipping, port logistics and towage operations alongside Samskip’s multimodal network and customer relationships in Northern Europe.
The enlarged network is expected to handle more than 750,000 TEUs annually, supported by 21 maritime terminals, five rail terminals and over 500 company-owned trucks. Samskip also operates two combined side-port and roll-on roll-off vessels, Samskip Kvitbjorn and Samskip Kvitnos, in addition to its lift-on lift-off and shortsea feeder container tonnage.
Company Backgrounds and Prior Ties
Samskip was founded in Iceland in 1990 and is now headquartered in Rotterdam, where it has built an extensive multimodal network across Northern Europe. Boluda, a family-owned Spanish group, brings a strong position in harbour towage through Boluda Towage along with an established container shipping and port logistics business.
The two companies already operate joint services in Spain, a relationship that executives said helped them identify opportunities to combine their strengths. The acquisition follows Samskip’s February agreement to sell its UK and Ireland freight operations to Luxembourg-based CLdN, and builds on Boluda’s recent expansion moves, including last year’s agreement to acquire Boskalis’ towage operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea for $640 million.
Leadership and Integration Plans
Samskip will retain its brand identity and Icelandic heritage within the combined business, and chief executive Olafur Orri Olafsson will remain in his post following the acquisition. Boluda Shipping executive chairman Ignacio Boluda Ceballos said the company has a clear vision to lead European short-sea shipping and make its network a competitive advantage for customers.
Rotterdam, already a key operational hub for Samskip, is set to serve as an important coordination point for the expanded network, building on Boluda’s existing towage and shipping presence in the region established partly through its June 2026 opening of new Rotterdam offices. Boluda said it intends to invest in the combined network to strengthen capacity, broaden connections and support further growth for both companies and their customers.
Why it matters
The acquisition would create one of Europe’s most comprehensive short-sea shipping networks, consolidating multimodal and feeder container capacity linking Northern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa. It reflects ongoing consolidation among short-sea and regional logistics operators as larger groups seek scale in rail, road and feeder connections. For shippers and ports along these routes, the merger could reshape service frequency, terminal utilization and competitive dynamics once the deal closes in January 2027.
Source: Splash247
