Geest Line has fostered trade links between the UK and the Caribbean for more than 60 years and today carries more cargo between Europe and the Windward and Leeward islands than any other shipping line. The origins of the service lie in the shipment of bananas eastbound. Instead of the ships returning in ballast, it provided the perfect opportunity for establishing a general cargo service carrying everything from small packages to large project machinery. The flexibility of the service is maintained today with a wide range of breakbulk and containerised cargo carried on the weekly westbound departures which sail from Portsmouth and also Le Havre in France.