Port of Cleveland & Spliethoff To Add Second Sailing To Cleveland-Europe Express

New stevedore for CEE in Cleveland also announced

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Sep 18, 2014, 11:38 ET

AMSTERDAM and CLEVELAND, Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Port of Cleveland and Amsterdam-based Spliethoff Group announced today their mutual intent to add a second monthly vessel to the Cleveland-Europe Express (CEE), the only scheduled ocean service for containerized and breakbulk freight operating between Europe and a Great Lakes port.

"We are extremely pleased to announce our intent to add a second sailing to the CEE starting next season or perhaps sooner to better accommodate the needs of the containerized segment of the market, which requires more frequent sailings," said Will Friedman, CEO of the Port of Cleveland. With two ships, the CEE will offer regularly scheduled departures every two weeks from both Antwerp and Cleveland.

The CEE has been operating since April with one ship, the Fortunagracht. It is providing shippers with customized shipping solutions and faster door-to-door transit times between Europe and the North American heartland.

"We have established the CEE as a legitimate, cost effective alternative for the breakbulk and heavy lift market," said Bart Peters, Director Atlantic Department, Spliethoff Group. "Now with the second ship, we can offer a very attractive option for container shippers. The advantages of an all-water service to the U.S. Midwest, combined with our transshipment connections in Antwerp throughout Europe and the world, make this a very powerful alternative."

The Port of Cleveland and Spliethoff also announced a new stevedore for CEE when in Cleveland. C-Port Maritime, a sister operation to Valport, operator of the Port of Valleyfield on the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, is now the terminal operator for the CEE at the Port of Cleveland. "Valport has serviced our ships for many years at the Port of Valleyfield in Quebec, so they are an experienced and trusted stevedore," said Peters.

About The Port of Cleveland

The Port of Cleveland is a key to Northeast Ohio's global competitiveness by providing the quickest route between North American's Heartland and Northern Europe. An economic engine for Northeast Ohio, the Port brings 13-million tons of cargo through the Cleveland Harbor and with it $1.8 billion in annual economic activity and nearly 18,000 jobs. As a Green Port on a Great Lake, the Port of Cleveland plays a key role in the environmental restoration and revitalization of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. For more information, visit the Port website at: www.portofcleveland.com.

About Spliethoff

The Amsterdam-based Spliethoff Group plays a leading role in the worldwide transportation of project cargo, heavy lifts, general cargo and yachts. It manages a large and modern fleet of over 100 multi-purpose, heavy lift (lifting capacities of up to 1,800 mt) and tweendecker vessels ranging in size from 2,100 to 23,000 tons. The vessels have Ice Class Swedish/Finnish 1A up to Super 1A and all of them sail under the Dutch flag.

Spliethoff Group is one of the largest ship management companies in the Netherlands. The group consists of Spliethoff's Bevrachtingskantoor (Spliethoff), BigLift Shipping, Sevenstar Yacht Transport, Wijnne Barends and Transfennica.

For more information please contact: Bart Peters, Director Atlantic Department, Spliethoff Group, telephone +31 20 448 8454, email [email protected] or visit www.spliethoff.com.