Increased freight volumes at the Port of Gothenburg

The figures for the first four months of the year show an increase in the volume of freight passing through the port. The biggest increase is in the car segment, which is also the area that was hit hardest during the recession of 2009.

“The comparison figures are not record figures by any means but regardless of the state of the economy the volume of goods handled at the Port of Gothenburg has risen once again and this is of course positive. The increase noted during the first four months of this year looks as if it will hold and the signs are this positive trend will be reflected in the mid-year financial results,” states Magnus Kårestedt, chief executive of the Port of Gothenburg Port Authority.

The figures for the first four months of the year suggest a stronger economy and an increase in freight volumes. During the period, 296,000 TEUs (20-foot containers) were handled, a rise of almost 13 per cent on the corresponding period in 2009. In March, we also noted an all-time high when a total of 83,450 TEUs were handled at the port – up 30 per cent on March 2009.

The handling of rolling loads (ro/ro units) also increased, by seven per cent, and the figure for the first four months was 178,000.

During the period, transit storage of crude oil commenced in one of the port’s underground caverns. This is a new area in the oil sector and is almost certainly a contributing factor in the six per cent increase in oil volumes during the period compared with 2009. A total of 7.5 million tonnes was handled during the period.

“The cavern is now full and the oil will be stored there until the beginning of next year when transfer to vessels will commence. This is a new and exciting business venture for the Port of Gothenburg,” explains Magnus Kårestedt.

With a 40 per cent increase, the car segment has increased most during the first four months of the year compared with the same period last year. From January to April, 62,500 cars were handled compared with a figure of 157,000 for the whole of 2009.

The Port of Gothenburg handles one-quarter of Sweden’s foreign trade and there is a distinct increase in the flow of freight to and from the port, which looks promising from an industry point of view.

According to Magnus Kårestedt the port is handling more and more freight and this bodes well for Sweden. ”I’m optimistic about the future and I believe that 2010 will be a good year for Swedish trade. We will probably not attain the volumes we had prior to the recession but there are clear signs that a recovery is under way.

For further information, please contact Eva Jonasson, Media Relations Officer, Port of Gothenburg, tel. +46 31 731 22 45.