After ten weeks of testing, the connection between the ports of Mukran (Sassnitz) and Baltiysk, a dedicated sea link for carrying New Silk Road containers, has been upgraded to two weekly sailings.

In addition, a new ship has been introduced on the route, the 2011-built, 86 m-long, and 3,196 dwt-big Constance.

Some 2,200 TEUs have been transported between the two seaports over the trial period.

"The increase in departure frequency is a strong indication of the route's performance. It also shows that the Mukran Port with its well-developed hinterland connections is an important strategic hub for container traffic in the Baltic Sea region within the framework of the New Silk Road. We are now reaping the benefits of the efforts and targeted investments in infrastructure and handling technology made necessary by the transformation process towards a modern multifunctional port in recent years," Harm Sievers, Managing Director, Mukran Port Terminals, commented.

Marcel Stein, Managing Director, DBO Bahnoperator, added, "We look back with pride on the developments of the last few weeks and are now taking them into account by increasing the weekly frequency. Thanks to strong partners, we have implemented a powerful new route here and have been able to further optimise our network in terms of transit time and costs, particularly in Scandinavia and Germany."

Photo: Mukran Port