Dutch shipping company WEC Lines expands container service out of the Port of Liverpool connecting with Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Canary Islands. Tony McDonough reports

A Dutch shipping line is to expand its container routes at the Port of Liverpool four years after it started operating out of the Mersey.

WEC Lines has run ships between Liverpool and Portugal and Spain since 2019. Now it is to add a new series of weekly calls from Northern Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Canary Islands.

Starting this month the new services will connect Liverpool with Bilbao, Vigo and Gijon in Spain, Casablanca in Morocco, Setubal and Leixões in Portugal and Santa Cruz and Las Palmas in the Canaries.

Its vessels will be carrying a range of southern European and north African products. WEC managing director Roger Megann said: “This is a significant upgrade and expansion of our service. It offers our customers weekly reliability and new direct connections.

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“WEC Lines is committed to providing excellence in its products and customer service. Our partnership with the Port of Liverpool is a key element of this development.”

David Huck, chief operating officer at port owner Peel Ports said the latest announcement was a “further vote of confidence” in the Port of Liverpool.

He added: “The trans-shipment opportunities of these routes further expand Liverpool’s global network and reach.

“The Port of Liverpool’s unrivalled location provides significant advantages as a more efficient and closer-to-end destination option, which reduces the road miles and congestion seen at other UK ports.”