During the first six months of this year, container volumes at the Port of Gothenburg rose by 19 per cent, from 318,000 to 378,000 TEUs. The number of cars and intra-European ro-ro* units shipped increased by ten and four per cent respectively, whilst the energy segment fell by three per cent. The figures are taken from the Port of Gothenburg’s recently published mid-year volume report.
In 2015, the Port of Gothenburg introduced an environmental discount on the port tariff in an effort to increase the number of calls by ships running on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Gothenburg Port Authority is now set to extend the discount period and is already outlining a renewed environmental discount.
Swedegas, which is currently constructing a permanent LNG facility at the Port of Gothenburg Energy Port, has entered into an agreement with a gas supplier for the facility, which will to become operational in August.
Container volumes rose by three per cent during the first quarter of the year, up from 184,000 to 188,000 TEU. The number of cars shipped rose by 20 per cent, whilst intra-European ro-ro units and energy products increased by five and three per cent respectively. The figures are taken from the Port of Gothenburg’s recently published Q1 volume report.
On Wednesday, the Arken Combi Terminal at the Port of Gothenburg was officially opened. Freight can now switch between road, rail and sea at the quayside, and can do so much more efficiently than before. The new terminal will result in higher freight capacity, improved transport efficiency, and cleaner air.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has arrived at the Port of Gothenburg and is set to stay. The first bunkering of a ship with LNG whilst it was loading took place on Friday. Less than a month ago, we saw the very first ship-to-ship bunkering of LNG at the quayside.
Gothenburg Port Authority has opted to keep the Port Tariff unchanged for the third year in succession. The charges for 2018 will thus be on the same level as 2015.
During the coming week, Sweden will be hosting the UN Ocean Conference in New York. Global emissions from shipping will be high on the agenda. Gothenburg Port Authority Environmental Manager Edvard Molitor will be presenting recent advances in Swedish environmental technology.
The cruise season in Gothenburg will get under way over the Easter weekend. During the next few months, 60,000 tourists are expected to arrive by cruise ship to discover the sights of the city. There will 44 visits by cruise ships to the Port of Gothenburg this year. First to arrive will be Aida Cara, which is due to berth at Frihamnen on Good Friday.
The Port of Gothenburg has embarked on a major project that will involve replanting 1.7 hectares of vital eelgrass meadows that will disappear with the building of a new terminal as part of the Port’s expansion programme.
Over 100 years ago, the first Swedish American Line vessel sailed for the USA from Stigbergskajen in Gothenburg. This historic quay is now being resurrected as a cruise reception centre under the name America Cruise Terminal. “Gothenburg has developed considerably as a maritime city,” said Jill Söderwall, Vice President Cruise at Gothenburg Port Authority.
Freight volumes at the Port of Gothenburg rose by almost three million tonnes in 2016 - up from 38.2 million tonnes in 2015 to 40.9 million tonnes last year. Car exports-imports and energy products enjoyed a particularly successful year with rises of 15 and 12 per cent respectively. Container volumes were down three per cent. The freight figures for 2016 have just been released.
Last year, one in three ships at the Port of Gothenburg received an environmental discount on the port charges. This represents an increase of 83 per cent on the previous year. Heading the discount list are Donsö-based shipping companies Tärntank Ship Management AB and Furetank AB, whose vessels are powered by liquefied natural gas.
Belgium is Sweden’s eighth largest export market. The Swedish shipping company SOL is about to expand its departure frequency between the Port of Gothenburg and the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. The change will offer greater scope for Swedish import and export companies to ship freight to and from Belgium.
The opening of a new freight service to Rotterdam will be a welcome development, presenting further opportunities for Swedish industry. The company behind the new service is the ro-ro* carrier CLdN, whose vessels will call at the Port of Gothenburg twice a week.
Plans are in place to move the internmodal freight terminal currently located in the central city of Gothenburg to the Port of Gothenburg. The switch will allow a higher proportion of transport by rail instead of road.
Logent will be the first tenant in the Prologis section of Gothenburg Logistics Park. They are due to move into the 25,500 square metre building in March next year.
Gothenburg is the pre-eminent location for a distribution centre in Scandinavia, particularly for import companies with large volumes passing through the Port of Gothenburg. This was revealed in a new study published by the consultancy company SWECO.
Tomorrow, a milestone will be reached in the greening process that is taking place at the Port of Gothenburg. M/T Ternsund will bunker natural gas at the entrance to the port. This is the first time ever in Sweden that a tanker will bunker this substantially cleaner marine fuel.
Starting in July, the Port of Gothenburg will be the new port of entry for Mazda cars imported into Sweden. All cars destined for the Swedish market will now reach their owners via the largest port in Scandinavia.
