Polaris Group chairman discusses company rebrand, global expansion and need for flexible shipping networks
As chairman of the newly restructured Polaris Group – Polaris Autoliners and Polaris Logistics (formerly Salloum Logistics) – Walid Salloum explains the motivation behind the rebrand, the group's long-term ambitions and how it is managing risk today.
Finished vehicle logistics company Salloum Logistics, which has offered multimodal logistics services for over a decade, recently rebranded to Polaris Logistics.
The company’s chairman, Walid Salloum, spoke with Automotive Logistics about the rebrand and the evolving market, as continued volatility in routing and structural cost pressures from fuel costs and capacity imbalances affect trade flows between Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
He also explained how the rebrand brings the company closer together with RoRo specialist Polaris Autoliners under the newly formed Polaris Group, enabling the businesses to offer customers integrated end-to-end solutions.
New vessels, routes and branches
To coincide with the restructuring, Polaris Group has made a series of announcements to support its ambition of 'driving trade'. Firstly, it has introduced a new vessel to its fleet – Polaris Mila, a pure car and truck carrier with a capacity of 4,900 car equivalent units (CEUs).
This specialised vessel is the sixth in the Polaris Group fleet and the first to be adorned in the new Polaris Group branding. It is set to operate routes in the Mediterranean, with Polaris Group stating that the addition of the vessel solidifies its dedication to simplifying complexity and reducing friction for customers.
At the same time, Polaris Group has launched a new service connecting the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Spain, North Africa and Turkey, which it believes will strengthen its automotive shipping network across Europe and the Mediterranean with reliable capacity and efficient routing.
"We see increasing demand for reliable and flexible feeder services across the Mediterranean," Salloum told Automotive Logistics. "With this new service, Polaris can offer customers a more efficient corridor connecting key markets across the region.
Additionally, Polaris Group has announced the opening of new branches in Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium, as well as a significant increase in new trucks. This move is set to strengthen the group's on-land capacity, supporting it in enabling flexible domestic and international distribution solutions tailored to customer needs.
Polaris Group now operates four inland terminals and a fleet of 230 trucks, as well as the six vessels. It operates in seven different countries and in 2025 transported more than 650,000 vehicles for major automotive OEMs.
Through a representative, Polaris Group now also has a presence in China, offering its Chinese customers a door-to-door service from China to the final destination in Europe, including feedering and inland logistics. The company aims to use its representative in China to provide last-mile logistics services to smaller markets in Europe.
"Our new fleet, routes and branches strengthen our already expansive global network, in line with our commitment to adaptability,” Salloum commented, explaining that the addition of new vessels, trucks and European branches is part of the group's long-term strategy to build a fully integrated automotive logistics platform, while expanding both its maritime and inland capabilities allows it to control more of the transport chain and offer customers reliable capacity even in challenging market conditions.
Speaking to Automotive Logistics, Salloum shared how this move will allow Polaris Group to better serve customers in the automotive sector. “Bringing our activities together under Polaris Group creates a clearer structure for customers and partners – it allows us to integrate maritime transport, inland trucking and logistics infrastructure into one coordinated platform," he said. "For automotive manufacturers and logistics providers, this means fewer interfaces, faster decision-making and more resilient supply chains.”
He outlined Polaris Group's key priorities for the next 12 months, focusing on strengthening its position in the market, promoting its services to OEMs and logistics providers, and further integrating its sea and land operations.
