As most container ships avoid the Red Sea, a new feeder service has been launched to link ports in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Sudan.
Folk Maritime has set up shop in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with three vessels. It is run by chief executive Poul Hestbaek, the former boss of German line Hamburg Sud.
The company describes itself as Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated feeder and shortsea service operator.
“Folk Maritime offers trusted, cost-effective and customer-centric solutions for customers in the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea and beyond,” the line said.
It aims to become “a critical player” in the market and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s vision of becoming a global logistics hub.
Folk is running two non-owned 2,500-teu feeder units between Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, and one 750-teu ship to Sudan from Jeddah.
Hestbaek said: “Saudi Arabia has a strong ambition to harness its strategic geographical position to become a globally connected logistics hub, establishing the kingdom at the heart of multiple industries, including shipping.
“Folk Maritime was born out of this ambition and will play a critical role in making it a reality. The company will seek to fill an essential void in the regional maritime market — offering the first feeder shipping service from within the kingdom, harnessing the essential connections with key transshipment routes in the Gulf, Red Sea and beyond.”
Hestbaek joined Hamburg Sud in 2004 from CSAV in Chile and became CEO in 2021, having previously been chief commercial officer.
He left in 2023 following its absorption into AP Moller-Maersk.
“My responsibility for overseeing the successful completion of the Hamburg Sud brand integration into Maersk is reaching its conclusion,” he said at the time.
