Finland’s Hacklin buys into fellow shortsea operator Nordic Chartering

Finnish logistics player Hacklin Group has strengthened its business with the acquisition of a considerable stake in compatriot shortsea operator Nordic Chartering.

The move of Hacklin joining as the shareholder for an undisclosed sum will build a strong foundation for future vessel investments, the companies said in a release, adding that they will continue working under their own brands.

Family-owned Hacklin was established in Port of Pori in 1908. Since then, the group companies in Helsinki, Hamina, Kotka, Hong Kong and Shanghai have specialised in project cargo, freight forwarding, and warehousing services in Finland as well as logistics solutions in bulk handling.

Privately owned Nordic Chartering has, since its establishment in 2003, operated with its own tonnage and chartered ice-classed multipurpose vessels between the Baltic Sea and Western Europe. Since 2004, the company has been offering regular timber from the Baltic Sea to Ireland and Spain. Nordic currently shows three ships on its website, of which shipping databases list the 2009-built 3,700 dwt general cargo vessel Nordic Erika (pictured) as owned.

Hacklin also has a history of shipowning. The company’s latest shipping operation was a container feeder service between Finland and Hamburg operated by Hacklin Seatrans between 1986 and 2018.