Over 50% of Sweden’s container volumes are moved via the Port of Gothenburg with the majority of them handled at the APM Terminals box terminal.
Despite the approximately 20% drop in import volumes, the major Swedish port handled approximately 225,000 TEUs during the first quarter of 2023, representing a 6% gain over the same period in the previous year.
The rise is attributable to Sweden’s robust export industry. “In total, we are therefore up 6% in handled container volume during the first quarter despite the decreased imports, which is quite fantastic,” pointed out Elvir Dzanics, CEO of Gothenburg Port Authority.
During the first three months of 2023, the port’s handling of new vehicles climbed by 4%. Swedish new vehicle sales have dropped dramatically, but a backlog of imported car deliveries owing to past component shortages in the production chain maintains import volumes high, while Volvo Cars’ exports through the port remain strong.
The Port of Gothenburg has also gained market share from other Northern European car hubs, which are still experiencing capacity issues and interruptions.
In the first quarter, intra-European ro-ro traffic fell by 5% compared to the comparatively high level of 2022.
“One of the things we are traditionally proud of in the Port of Gothenburg is our import/export balance, which in normal circumstances is close to 50-50,” noted Elvir Dzanics.
Port of Gothenburg throughput in the first quarter of 2023
| Jan-March 2023 | Jan-March 2022 | % Comp. | |
| Containers, TEUs | 225,000 | 212,000 | 6% |
| Rail, TEUs | 123,000 | 128,000 | -3% |
| Ro-ro units | 141,000 | 147,000 | -5% |
| New cars | 70,000 | 67,000 | 4% |
| Passengers | 231,000 | 185,000 | 25% |
| Cruise ship calls | – | 2 | – |
| Energy (million tonnes) | 4,6 | 5,3 | -12% |
| Dry bulk (tonnes) | 108,000 | 88,000 | 23% |
