August 10 - From September 1, DFDS' ro-ro service originating at the Port of Kiel, Germany will sail directly to St. Petersburg, Russia and will no longer call at the Port of Ust-Luga.
Dirk Claus, managing director of the Port of Kiel, explained: "Concentration on St. Petersburg means that shorter transit times are now possible and it also offers potential for further growth in cargo volumes. The liner service to St. Petersburg is also an ideal starting point for on-shipments into the Russian hinterland."
The service, which is run on a slot-charter basis with Finnlines, carries trucks, trailers, containers, agricultural and construction machinery, as well as project loads from the port's cargo and logistics hub, Ostuferhafen.
It will leave Kiel every Saturday evening and arrive in St. Petersburg on Tuesday afternoon.
While traffic between Kiel and Russia has increased by a third in the first half of the year, the Port of Ust-Luga has not been able to benefit from the positive developments, says the Port of Kiel. As a result the Russian port will no longer be served by DFDS.
