The Icelandic Competition Authority has today approved exemption for the cooperation between Eimskip and Royal Arctic Line A/S, the national carrier of Greenland. The cooperation is subject to certain conditions made by the Icelandic Competition Authority.
Mainly, the cooperation is based on vessel sharing agreement, where the capacity will be shared between carriers.
As the new cooperation got the green light on April 17, 2019, Royal Arctic Line will provide transportation services to the Icelandic market.
In the meantime, Greenland will be connected to Eimskip‘s international sailing system with its weekly services that create opportunities for direct connections for Greenland to international markets.
Vilhelm Þorsteinsson, CEO of Eimskip commented
We are pleased to have the formal approval from the Icelandic Competition Authority for the cooperation between Eimskip and Royal Arctic Line after several years of preparation.
He continued that this partnership provides opportunities for a more efficient sailing system for Eimskip as well as opening new sailing routes to and from Greenland.
In light of the cooperation, three 2.150 TEU container vessels are being built in China, and are expected to be delivered in late 2019.
Also, two additional vessels are being constructed for Eimskip, the largest in the company’s fleet — and one for Royal Arctic Line. The vessels will be used in weekly services between Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Island and Scandinavia.
Moreover, the vessels are designed in conditions of operating in the North Atlantic, according to the Polar Code. Once the new ships are delivered, Eimskip plans to dispose of its older vessels, Goðafoss and Laxfoss.
