The Bilbao Port Authority has announced that from 20 December, the Port of Bilbao will join Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)’s weekly direct service linking Northern Europe with the West Coast of South America.
The move is considered one of the port’s most significant milestones in recent years, reinforcing its position as a strategic Atlantic hub.
Bilbao will serve as the last Iberian call and the penultimate European port before ships head to South America, providing highly competitive transit times for shippers across its hinterland.
The service will also deploy the largest container vessels ever handled at the terminal, underscoring Bilbao’s operational capacity and competitiveness.
Ivan Jimenez, president of the Bilbao Port Authority, said: “For the Port of Bilbao, the addition of this direct MSC service to the west coast of South America is excellent news and a source of enormous pride. Furthermore, it consolidates Bilbao as a leading port in the Atlantic Arc and opens up new opportunities for the industrial and export fabric of our region.”
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MSC’s decision also enhances Bilbao’s integration with Northern Spain’s ocean network, improving access to key South American markets and strengthening the port’s role as a value-added logistics platform.
Jimenez added: “We would sincerely like to thank MSC for the trust it has placed in the Port of Bilbao and for its close collaboration and efforts to make this project a reality. The new service not only connects us better with the world, but also boosts the competitiveness of our companies and contributes to the sustainable economic growth of our region.”
For more information:
Port of Bilbao – https://www.bilbaoport.eus/en/
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) – https://www.msc.com/
