Made the best of 2021
DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit (DFDS Bumed) has strongly promoted its ro-ro services for exports from Turkey since 2018. From then until 2022 the unit is doubling the number of its vessels. 2021 was a successful year in many other ways too.
The signs point to expansion. DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit, the former U.N. Ro-Ro, which was founded in Istanbul in 1994 and acquired by DFDS in 2018, has expanded its fleet from twelve units then to 19 vessels today, with further growth set to move it to 21 ships flying the Turkish flag in 2022.
The firm celebrated its 155th anniversary on 11 December 2021, underlining its commitment to ro-ro activities with further investment in ports and logistics.
Services, routes, partners
DFDS Bumed, which specialises in Turkish exports, amongst other things, put a third ship into service for local exporters from Mersin in early October. At the same time the company has invested in its own shipping agency and in new roll-trailers in the port.
Word from the ro-ro specialist has it that it carries out almost half of Turkey’s land transports to Europe. On top of this DFDS Bumed, in partnership with Turkish player Ekol Lojistik, has also launched a new ro-ro service to and from the Spanish port of Tarragona. The move makes Tarragona, in southern Catalonia, one of the shipping line’s most important logistics hubs in the western Mediterranean.
On the occasion of DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit’s 155th anniversary vice-president Lars Hoffmann called the connection “an innovative solution for our strong and sustainable future in the logistics industry.”
Last year, according to the latest figures released by the experienced ro-ro specialist, DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit exceeded the volumes it attained in both of the previous years 2019 and 2020. Business success isn’t the only thing that counts for the line, however.
Awards underline success
DFDS Bumed also launched its ‘We Carry for Women’ project in early 2021, designed in collaboration with Kagider, the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (Türkiye Kadın Girisimciler Dernegi), to provide added value to the country’s business and social life (see page 4 of ITJ 47-48 / 2021).
In other news, DFDS Bumed recently won the bronze award in the Stevie International Business Awards (SIBA), in the category ‘communication / PR campaign of the year’. The SIBAs have been a prestigious prize in the business world since 2002. On top of this the line and its partner Ekol Lojistik were also awarded the ‘Apport Awards 2021’ for the new ro-ro service to and from Tarragona.
