New record and stabilised volumes at the Port of Gothenburg

Freight volumes transported by rail to and from the Port of Gothenburg have continued to increase and in September a new all-time high was noted. Other categories report lower yet slightly stabilised volumes compared with the previous year.

There is an increasing trend towards transport of freight by rail to and from the Port of Gothenburg, which also offers significant environmental benefits.

"The freight category that has come out best and even increased during the economic downturn is rail transport, which continues to set a new record every month. In September, 20,395 units were handled, which is the highest figure ever," reports Magnus Kårestedt, Port of Gothenburg chief executive.

The Port of Gothenburg is an important freight hub and with approximately 25 per cent of Sweden's foreign trade passing through the Port, the flow of freight reflects the state of Swedish industry. Any sign of a shift in the economy can be detected at an early stage.

"Our feeling is that the Port of Gothenburg has fared well compared with many of the competing ports. Although we have yet to see any significant indication of an upturn in the economy we have noted a slight stabilisation in volumes and the feeling is that the situation regarding freight transport is looking a little brighter," says Magnus Kårestedt.

The third-quarter figures are more positive than for the first six months. From July through to September, four per cent fewer containers were handled compared with the same quarter in 2008. The corresponding figure for the first six months shows a fall of ten per cent. To date this year, 606,500 containers have been shipped to and from the Port of Gothenburg, which is the largest port in the Nordic region.

Ro/ro volumes also appear to have stabilised. The number of units handled during the third quarter is down 20 per cent compared with the same quarter last year. The figure for the first six months shows a drop of 26 per cent.

Foreign automotive trade has been hit hardest by the recession although the decline has slowed down. In July-September a total of 38,412 vehicles were handled, which is a 28 per cent fall compared with the same period the preceding year. For the first six months the fall was 58 per cent.


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