Two years after launching its renewed project in Spain, Samskip has established a strong presence in the Port of Santander and continues to expand its multimodal logistics offering across the Iberian Peninsula.

In this interview with Diario del Puerto, a popular industry specific publication in Spain, Diego Ruigómez, Country Managing Director of Samskip Spain, and Virginia Navarro, Country Sales Manager, reflect on the company’s growth with Jaime Pinedo, its intermodal strategy, and the importance of customer-focused logistics solutions.

Jaime Pinedo: Two years have passed since Samskip opened its office in Bilbao and started operations in Santander. How would you describe the results so far?

Diego Ruigómez:
The balance has been very positive. In fact, during this period we have managed to double the volumes that were initially projected. This growth has been possible thanks to the confidence of our customers and the regularity of our services.

The market has responded very well to our proposal. We have built a strong team that combines deep experience in the sector with new commercial and operational capabilities, allowing us to deliver a reliable and efficient service.

Jaime Pinedo: Samskip has long been associated with Short Sea Shipping in Europe. What role does Spain play within this network?

Diego Ruigómez:
Spain is an important part of our European network. Samskip has been operating in the country for more than twenty years and today we connect the Iberian Peninsula with the United Kingdom, Ireland, Northern Europe and for the time being, we do not currently connect Morocco with Spain, but this is a definite possibility for the future.  And, when you talk about intermodality, we are planning to start a new Santander-Barcelona-Santander rail corridor end of September. That is exciting.

Our model is based on multimodal transport, combining maritime, rail and logistics services. This integrated approach allows us to offer efficient and reliable supply chain solutions to our customers.

Jaime Pinedo: How has the operation from the Port of Santander evolved during these first two years?

Diego Ruigómez:
The evolution has been very encouraging. Today we manage around 30,000 TEUs annually through Santander, which reflects the steady growth of our activity.

The Port of Santander offers excellent operational conditions for Short Sea Shipping. Its location, the sheltered nature of the port and the continuous improvements in the terminal infrastructure all contribute to the reliability of the service.

The work carried out by Boluda Maritime Terminals Santander has also been very important, especially in terms of terminal capacity and operational efficiency.

Jaime Pinedo: Intermodality seems to be a key pillar of Samskip’s strategy. How is this reflected in your operations in Spain?

Diego Ruigómez:
Intermodality is part of Samskip’s DNA. From the beginning we have invested in rail connections that reduce dependency on road transport and improve the overall efficiency of logistics chains.

A good example is the rail corridor between Madrid and Santander, which currently offers several weekly departures. This corridor allows us to move a significant share of our containers by rail, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

Jaime Pinedo: Sustainability has become a central topic in logistics. How does Samskip approach this challenge?

Diego Ruigómez:
Sustainability is a fundamental part of our business model. Samskip has set the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2040, which is ten years ahead of the targets set by the European Union.

Our goal is to offer logistics solutions that are not only competitive and reliable, but also environmentally responsible. Intermodal transport, especially the use of rail and Short Sea Shipping, plays a key role in achieving that objective.

Jaime Pinedo: One aspect that often stands out about Samskip is its approach to customer relationships. How does your team manage this?

Virginia Navarro:
One of our key differentiators is the way we organize our customer service. In many logistics companies the transport process is divided between several departments. At Samskip we take a different approach.

The same person who manages the booking also oversees the shipment and the final delivery. This means the customer has a single point of contact who understands the entire operation and can react quickly if something changes.

This structure simplifies communication and allows us to build stronger relationships with our customers.

Jaime Pinedo: How does technology support this customer-focused approach?

Virginia Navarro:
Digitalization is becoming increasingly important in logistics. We use technology to provide greater transparency and better information throughout the transport process.

But technology is only part of the equation. For us, the most important thing is to build long-term relationships with our customers. We see them as partners rather than simply individual transactions.

Jaime Pinedo: Looking ahead, what are Samskip’s plans for the Spanish market?

Diego Ruigómez:
We see significant opportunities for growth, particularly in northern Spain. Our strategy is to continue expanding our service network and strengthening our intermodal solutions.

By combining operational reliability, multimodal transport and sustainable logistics solutions, we believe Samskip is well positioned to continue growing in the coming years.