Stellantis Switching Van Parts Shipments From Roads to Sea

Stellantis turns to the sea in a bid to cut its carbon emissions in bringing automotive parts to its Ellesmere Port plant in the U.K.

Ellesmere Port is undergoing a major transformation to manufacture a compact electric van, to be used in its Vauxhall/Opel Combo Electric, Peugeot e-Partner and Citroën e-Berlingo models, from spring 2023.

Several sheet-metal parts and components for these models will be supplied from partner companies that are based near the Vigo operation in Spain, the other Stellantis plant that manufactures these electric LCVs.

To improve the supply-chain flow to Ellesmere Port, a new end-to-end logistical service is being put in place, operated by Suardíaz Shipping Lines. This will include a twice-weekly shipping service over the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Vigo Port to Queen Elizabeth II Eastham docks in Merseyside.

Starting from June, the new 891-nautical-mile (1,650-km) sea route is expected to take an estimated 14,700 truck journeys off U.K. and continental Europe roads annually, saving about 11 million miles (17.7 million km) of road travel. Each ship can take up to 95 truckloads of cargo comprising about 47 different types of sheet-metal parts and components that will be used in the assembly of the electric vans. The packaging used to transport the parts will be taken back to Vigo Port on the return leg and reused for subsequent trips.

The journey time from Vigo Port to Queen Elizabeth II Eastham docks is about 50 hours, roughly the same as the current road journey. Compared to road transport, the direct maritime route has 30% lower CO2 emissions over the course of a full year as well as 37% less energy consumption.   

The automaker’s partnership with Suardíaz and Peel Ports is one of the carbon-reduction initiatives set out in its in Dare Forward 2030 Strategic Plan.