Gothenburg Wood Terminal meets the growing export needs of Swedish sawmills

With a new name, Gothenburg Wood Terminal aims to further emphasize its position as the central timber terminal in the Port of Gothenburg. As a key link in the supply chain between Swedish sawmills and their international markets, they have enhanced their capabilities to meet the growing export demands of the Swedish forest industry.

Located in the heart of Scandinavia's largest logistics hub, Gothenburg Wood Terminal handles sawn timber products from sawmills across Sweden. On its 15,000 square-meter terminal area, equipped with a railway connection and 240 meters of track right into the facility, timber packages are unloaded from incoming truck trailers and trains every day. Subsequently, the timber is loaded into containers. With the help of two load plates, efficient and secure container loading is ensured with minimal risk of cargo damage.

In total, the terminal has the capacity to load 180-200 containers per week. APM Terminals' container terminal, which is just a stone's throw away, offers direct services to over 70 destinations worldwide. Here, the containers are loaded onto ships for further transportation to the end customer.

The transshipment process is managed by experienced and specialized personnel, with Adnan Feriz, the Terminal Manager of Gothenburg Wood Terminal, leading the daily operations.

"I've worked in timber handling for almost my entire professional life. I've followed timber throughout my career, which has led me to land here at Gothenburg Wood Terminal after 20 years. I am very proud of our employees, the work we do, and the role we play in the Swedish export industry," says Adnan Feriz.

Growing demand for timber export solutions
Timber exports are booming in Sweden. Last year, 13.8 million cubic meters of sawn timber products were exported, the second-highest figure ever recorded, representing a nine percent increase compared to the previous year. This development naturally has an effect at Gothenburg Wood Terminal, which is ready to meet the growing demand for its transshipment services.

"We have ample space, containers, and all the necessary infrastructure in place to welcome anyone in need of professional cargo loading services today – both existing and new customers," says Kim Johansson, Marketing Manager at Gothenburg Wood Terminal.

The Terminal particularly emphasizes the benefits of railway transportation. Through close collaboration with railway operators in the port, they can assist their customers in creating a railway concept that can streamline transportation and reduce its carbon footprint.

"Our vision is to offer a sustainable terminal operation that combines climate, work environment, and economics. We achieve this together with our business partners, and through cooperation with the port operators, we aim to develop efficient and competitive inland transportation from production units to the terminal, where existing infrastructure is used more optimally," says Kim Johansson.

Being able to provide efficient transshipment of sawn timber products is an important addition to the Port of Gothenburg's existing forest product handling, which also includes paper, cardboard, and pulp, explains Antti Laakso, Senior Business Development Manager at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

"Gothenburg Wood Terminal strengthens the port's overall value proposition and role as a full-service port for the forest industry, contributing to the port's status as Sweden's largest forest port," concludes Antti Laakso.

Facts: Gothenburg Wood Terminal (formerly Mimab Wood)
Terminal Area: 15,000 sq.m.
Railway Connection: Yes, with 240 meters of track into the terminal
Equipment: Two load plates, four heavy forklifts
Types of Cargo: Main focus on timber, but also other forest products, steel, and special cargo
Capacity: Loading of 180-200 containers per week, plus additional cross-docking volumes