WEC Lines has unveiled upgraded NWC Portugal and NWC Canary Islands weekly services, strengthening links between Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands, and Northern Europe through faster, more reliable operations with fixed-day departures.
The NWC Portugal service now includes Rotterdam, Moerdijk, Antwerp, Vigo, Leixões, Setúbal, and Montoir, while the NWC Canary Islands service connects Hamburg, Thamesport, Moerdijk, Bilbao, Vigo, Leixões, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz, and Sines.
Both services have been restructured to ensure shorter transit times and greater schedule reliability.
The NWC CAI service will operate with three 868-TEU owned vessels on a 21-day rotation, arriving in Las Palmas (Thursdays) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Fridays), with regular transshipment to Puerto de Rosario and Arrecife.
A new Hamburg call has been added to the rotation, offering a 5-day transit time from Leixões and 8–9 days from the Canary Islands, while shipments from Hamburg reach Bilbao, Leixões, and the Canary Islands in 6, 9, and 12–13 days, respectively.
The NWC Portugal service will be operated by two 1,000-TEU owned vessels in a fixed 14-day rotation, now expanded to include weekly Vigo and Thamesport calls.
Departing Thamesport on Thursdays and arriving in Leixões on Fridays, the revised schedule provides shippers with faster delivery options and greater flexibility for supply chains.
Miguel Martín, Branch Manager Canarias at WEC Lines, emphasized the local benefits saying the services meet local demand for reliable shipping, ensuring businesses in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and the other Canary Islands can efficiently reach wider markets, supporting economic growth across the region.
Marc Gnurlandino, Head of Line Management at WEC Lines, highlighted the company’s wider strategy commenting that the revamp of the NWC Portugal and NWC Canary Islands services positively contribute to the industry.
The upgraded services also provide a sustainable alternative to trucking into Spain and the Canary Islands. The NWC CAI service, calling Hamburg (Saturdays), Thamesport (Mondays), and Moerdijk (Tuesdays), integrates seamlessly with inland connections to Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Agoncillo (La Rioja).
