Port of Gothenburg moves to Vaggeryd

The Vaggeryd Inland Terminal has become an integral part of the Port of Gothenburg. The terminal is the first in the country to take over customs clearance for imported goods. Companies in the Småland region can now benefit from more rapid and more reliable transport. 

"This is something of a revolution for the transport industry in Sweden," states Magnus Kårestedt, chief executive of the Port of Gothenburg. 

 Vaggeryd is one of the 22 locations throughout Sweden and Norway that have a rail shuttle service to the Port of Gothenburg. The shuttles provide import and export companies with direct, eco-friendly transport to the largest port in the Nordic region. Demand has been what can only be described as explosive since the first shuttle service began 11 years ago. The system also offers significant environmental benefits. Last year the shuttles saved 52,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide compared with if the freight were to be transported by road to the port.

 To increase the volume of freight traffic by rail even further, the Port of Gothenburg has launched the Railport Scandinavia concept. The aim is for the inland terminals at the shuttle locations to be linked even more closely to the Port by assuming responsibility for tasks previously handled by the port.

Vaggeryd is the first terminal to take over customs clearance of imported goods. The containers can pass quickly through the port, be loaded onto the shuttle to Vaggeryd and remain in storage there until the time comes for the company to collect them. Customs duties and VAT are paid on collection in Vaggeryd and not, as previously, when the containers left the port.

"Swedish companies often have long distances to their import and export markets and anything that can reduce the distance is important to the competitiveness of industry. Now that we are in effect moving the perimeter fence to Vaggeryd, companies in the region have more rapid transport, greater control over their freight and deferred payment of customs duty and VAT," states Magnus Kårestedt.

The Danish retailing chain Jysk has been appointed as a pilot company during the test period.

Fact file: Rail shuttles
At present there are 26 rail shuttles to 22 locations in Sweden and Norway: Stockholm, Södertälje, Eskilstuna, Norrköping, Gävle, Borlänge, Helsingborg, Västerås, Vaggeryd, Uddevalla, Nässjö, Gothenburg, Drammen, Insjön, Falköping, Rolfsôy, Karlstad, Åmål, Avesta, Hällefors, Örebro and Åhus.

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