Original news was published on 20 May, 2015

ANTWERP, Belgium — Atlantic Ro-Ro Carriers today announced it has added Europe via the Port of Antwerp to its regular transatlantic service to the U.S. Gulf. Its Baltic Mercur II will make its maiden voyage from Antwerp this Friday [22 May]. ARRC made its announcement on the opening day of Breakbulk Europe 2015 to a record crowd of more than 7,000 at the Antwerp Expo.

ARRC has been operating as the only direct transatlantic MPP carrier between St. Petersburg, Russia, and the U.S. for the past 20 years. With a mixed fleet of LORO and LOLO vessels, the company is responsible for moving almost half a million tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, thousands of units of specialized equipment for the oil & gas, mining, construction and agricultural sectors, as well as thousands of TEUs and FEUs for various industries in both directions annually.

The service expansion coincides with the ARRC’s fleet upgrade initiative. Starting in 2014 and continuing through 2016, ARRC and the CISN Shipping Group intend to replace 75 percent of their fleet and upgrade their tonnage with modern (built from 2003 to 2011), 30,000-deadweight-ton MPP vessels with lifting capacities up to 200 tons. ARRC intends to run four such upgraded vessels on the Baltic – Continent – U.S. Gulf Service.

The service will be offered with monthly frequency and will be open to general breakbulk, metals and steel cargoes, oversized and heavy equipment, as well as containers. The service will be supported by European agency network, led by Ernst Glaessel Hamburg and backed by local agency services of Neptumar NV in Antwerp and Neptumar BV in Rotterdam.

*NEWS SOURCE