News / Bulgaria service kicks-off new Unimed expansion phase

Photo: VesselFinder

Next week, eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea feeder operator Unimed Feeder Services will launch a new service linking Bulgaria and Turkey, marking the next phase of the carrier’s expansion and its first call in Bulgaria.

According to liner analyst Alphaliner, the first sailing in Unimed’s new Turkey-Bulgaria service will be the departure of the 700 teu Nina A from the Turkish port of Derince on 22 January.

The full port rotation of the single-vessel service is: Derince-Ambarli-Burgas-Varna-Derince.

Acquired by DP World-owned Unifeeder in 2013, the Unimed brand has been the chief vehicle for Unifeeder’s Mediterranean expansion over the past year, which has seen it build up a fleet in the region that is now the same size as Cosco’s, the company claimed today.

“Unifeeder recorded the highest capacity growth of all carriers in the region, positioning it among the top six operators in the Mediterranean by deployed capacity.

“Unifeeder’s fleet in the Mediterranean now includes 20 containerships, with a total capacity of 24,000 teu, bringing it on a par with global shipping leader Cosco in the region.

“Over the past 12 months, Unifeeder has launched seven new intra-Mediterranean services, adding 10,600 teu of capacity and increasing its average vessel size to 1,186 teu,” it added.

According to a Loadstar analysis of the eeSea liner database, six of the seven services launched last year are Unimed strings and comprise: two feeder services out of Egypt’s Med hubs, such as Port Said, Damietta and Alexandria; another feeder loop around the Greek hub of Piraeus; an Italian feeder service; and a Marseilles-Valencia pendulum string, as well as the October launch of a Turkey-Ukraine loop.

Also in October, Unifeeder added an Egypt-Libya loop, deploying one 1,155 teu vessel.

Last year, the intra-Mediterranean market saw capacity expand by 9.3% across all carriers, equivalent to adding 50,000 teu in slots, and DP World claimed Unifeeder’s market share had “surged from 1.5% to 4.3%, moving it up five places to the sixth spot among the largest operators in the region by deployed capacity”.

“This growth is directly linked to a shift in trade dynamics, with mainline operators outsourcing intra-regional services to more agile operators like Unifeeder,” it added, alluding to one of the principal effects of the Red Sea crisis – the way Asia-Europe vessel diversions around the Cape of Good Hope signalled the end of wayport calls in the Mediterranean by Asia-North Europe deepsea vessels, while networks covering the eastern Mediterranean had to be completely redesigned.

“The shipping industry is going through profound shifts, with geopolitical and economic factors driving the need for more agile and responsive supply chain solutions,” said Unifeeder CEO Martin Gaard. “Our growth in the intra-Mediterranean market and expansion in the Black Sea reflects our strategic focus on meeting these demands.

“By offering reliable, flexible and efficient regional services, we enable our customers to navigate these complexities, reduce operational complexity and enhance their market reach. The growth we have seen last year underscores our role as a trusted partner to businesses seeking cost-effective and sustainable shipping options in a rapidly evolving landscape,” he added.