Press release -
EU approves acquisition of Port of Gothenburg Ro-Ro Terminal
Major port deal: Late yesterday afternoon, notice of approval was received from the EU Commission for the acquisition of Älvsborg Ro/Ro AB – the Ro-Ro Terminal at the Port of Gothenburg – by DFDS and C.Ro Ports. The transfer is planned for the beginning of May.
Sven Hulterström, Chairman of the Port of Gothenburg, describes it as "a decision eagerly awaited by both employees and customers".
It was in October 2010 that DFDS and C.Ro Ports signed a 25-year agreement with the Port of Gothenburg to operate Älvsborg Ro/Ro. The matter first went to the Swedish Competition Authority but because of the nature of the deal it was referred to the ECA, the European Competition Authorities, which conducted a thorough investigation.
The investigation revealed that there is sufficient competition on the ro-ro routes between Gothenburg and other countries in northern Europe and it is obvious from the agreement between the Port of Gothenburg and the new operator that the terminal must act in a non-discriminatory manner and welcome new customers.
The actual takeover is expected to take place at the beginning of May, at which point DFDS and C.Ro Ports will assume responsibility for the Terminal and around 280 employees.
Sven Hulterström continues: "EU approval means that the final piece in the new Port of Gothenburg organisation is in place. We can now devote all our efforts to focusing on the future and the further development of the principal freight hub in Scandinavia."
Fact file: the new Port of Gothenburg structure
The new structure at the Port means that the Port of Gothenburg will continue to own the port and the infrastructure and will be responsible for its long-term development, whilst separate terminal companies will run the terminals. This will bring the Port of Gothenburg organisation into line with the majority of other ports around the world.
The Container Terminal has been run since January this year by the global terminal operator APM Terminals and the Car Terminal has been run since February 2011 by the Swedish logistics company Logent.
For further information, please contact Cecilia Carlsson, Media Relations Officer, Port of Gothenburg, phone +46 31 731 22 45.
Fact file: Port of Gothenburg
The Port of Gothenburg is the largest port in the Nordic region with 11,000 visits by vessels each year. One-third of Swedish foreign trade passes through the Port of Gothenburg as well as 65 per cent of all container traffic.
The Port of Gothenburg is the only port in Sweden with the capacity to receive the world's largest container vessels and has the broadest range of shipping routes within and outside Europe. The 26 rail shuttles that depart each day mean that companies throughout Sweden and Norway have a direct, environmentally smart link to the largest port in the Nordic region. The Port of Gothenburg has terminals for oil, cars, ro-ro, containers and passengers.
