WEC Lines Launches New Direct Weekly Service Connecting Ireland, Belgium, and France

WEC Lines has officially launched a new direct weekly container service linking Ireland, Belgium, and France, marking a significant expansion of its European operations. This service is operated using an 868-TEU owned vessel, running on a fixed 7-day rotation schedule. The vessel departs from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge every Thursday and arrives in Dublin on Sundays, providing a reliable and efficient shipping option for shippers and logistics partners.

With this new addition, Dublin will now be serviced three times a week, further strengthening its connectivity as it remains a port of call in WEC Lines’ existing Spanish and Portuguese services. This enhanced frequency is expected to benefit exporters and importers in Ireland by providing more flexible and frequent options for cargo movement, thereby reducing transit times and improving supply chain reliability.

Roger Megann, Managing Director of WEC Lines UK, highlighted the company’s long-standing commitment to the Irish market, noting that WEC Lines has been serving Ireland for over three decades through its Portuguese services. He remarked that in 2024, they launched a dedicated Bilbao call connecting Dublin, facilitating onward linkages to and from inland Spain and the Canaries. The launch of this new service in 2025 connecting Dublin to Zeebrugge extends their reach further into the European hinterland. This move reinforces WEC Lines’ dedication to expanding and developing the Irish market as part of a broader growth strategy that includes extending their network to the Baltics and beyond, while continuing to nurture their presence in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and East Africa.
Philip Collet, General Manager of WEC Belgium, emphasized the strategic advantages of Zeebrugge as a port of call, stating that Zeebrugge offers an easy port approach, strong multimodal connectivity to the hinterland, and a short transit time to Ireland. Previously, it has served as a key hub for trade with Ireland, making it a natural and logical choice to ensure a premium, efficient service for our clients.

The new service also highlights WEC Lines’ commitment to seamless multimodal transport integration, leveraging Zeebrugge’s extensive rail, road, and inland waterway connections. This facilitates efficient onward transport into the heart of Europe, thereby enhancing supply chain agility for customers.

In a further demonstration of its European expansion, WEC Lines opened a new office in Nantes, France, in September 2024 at 16 Quai Ernest Renaud. This regional presence supports operational capabilities and customer service excellence in the French market, aligning with the company’s vision of strengthening its footprint in Europe. By enhancing frequency and direct connectivity on the Ireland–Belgium–France trade lane, WEC Lines aims to provide shippers with more reliable, cost-effective, and flexible solutions, responding to the evolving needs of global supply chains.