Lakeway Link will traffic the Polish cities of Gdynia and Gdansk to and from Södertälje and Västerås via Lake Mälaren. With the founding of the company, a more sustainable regular service will be opened with fixed departures twice a week from Sweden and Poland, starting at the end of the year.

The link is expected to reduce the climate footprint compared to traditional car transport between the Mälar region and the continent, an alternative that was previously absent from the market. Lakeway Link will be operated with a new type of vessel that will make it possible to connect the Baltic Sea with the shallow Lake Mälaren and cities such as Södertälje and Västerås.

“Lakeway Link will open the waterway between important logistics points in Europe that previously could not be reached efficiently by sea. This is positive from a sustainability point of view as it reduces emissions, while contributing to more efficient flows and decreased heavy traffic on the roads” says Fredrik Hermansson, CEO of Greencarrier Liner Agency Sweden.

Strengthening the logistics network

The new service also addresses another current problem: the severe shortage of truck drivers. In addition, Lakeway Link offers transport of trailers, which means that the driver does not have to bring a tractor unit. The service will strengthen the logistics network to and from the Mälar region, as well as facilitate traffic to and from the whole of Sweden and other final destinations, not least Norway.

Joint efforts for sustainable shipping solutions

Wallenius Lines developed the ro-ro concept in the 1960s, and today the company is an active owner and investor in the global shipping industry. Wallenius now becomes the owner of Lakeway Link together with the family owned Greencarrier Group, with over 40 years of specialisation in sustainable logistics solutions.

“Lakeway Link will strengthen the development of Swedish shipping. Wallenius Marine will design and build new vessels based on the latest technology, contributing to more sustainable logistics in both the Baltic Sea and our inland waterways where Lake Mälaren plays a major role. The ships will be designed to handle different types of cargo as well as socially beneficial missions, such as sea rescue” says Göran Söderdahl, Global Senior Commercial Manager at Wallenius Marine.