Port of Gothenburg Q1 report: More laden containers and record rail volumes

The container volumes at the Port of Gothenburg continue to grow—in terms of handled goods. However, the handling of empty containers has decreased, which is a positive development for the efficiency of cargo flows. Container flows by rail also continue to rise and have now reached an all-time high. These are some of the key insights from the port's reported cargo volume statistics for the first quarter of the year.

A total of 234,000 containers (TEU*) were handled at the Port of Gothenburg during the first quarter of the year, a 3 percent decrease. The decline was due to fewer empty containers being handled, while the handling of laden containers increased slightly compared to the same period last year.

"Reduced repositioning of empty containers improves efficiency in cargo flows. The underlying factor is the port’s strong balance between imports and exports, which is now close to 50–50," says Claes Sundmark, Vice President Sales and Marketing at the Port of Gothenburg.

The vast majority of the container volumes passing through the Port of Gothenburg are handled by APM Terminals, which operates the port’s container terminal.

Another positive highlight in the first quarter was the number of containers transported to or from the port by rail, which increased by 6 percent during the period. A total of 134,000 containers moved in or out of the port by rail, setting a new record for a first quarter at the port.

"This is a testament to the excellent performance of our Railport Scandinavia network, and it also reflects the Swedish industry’s combined efforts to both streamline flows and reduce transport emissions by shifting freight from road to rail," says Claes Sundmark.

Ro-Ro and vehicles
A total of 137,000 RoRo units were handled in the first quarter, representing a slight decline of just under one percent. However, volumes at the port’s largest Ro-Ro terminal, Gothenburg Roro Terminal, increased during the period.

During the same quarter, 62,000 cars were handled, a decrease of 11 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024. This was despite an increase in the handling of vehicles to and from destinations outside Europe, particularly the United States.

"It is reasonable to assume this is due to the uncertain tariff situation. The focus has been on shipping as many cars across the Atlantic as possible, which is also why shipments to and from Europe decreased during the period," says Claes Sundmark.

Energy products, bulk and cruise
During the period, energy volumes declined by 6 percent, with both imports of crude oil and exports of refined products decreasing. The downturn is attributed to lower refinery margins early in the year, as well as some necessary maintenance work.

Handling of dry bulk (such as sand, stone, and gravel) and breakbulk (such as non-unitized paper and rolled cardboard) amounted to 70,000 tonnes. This represents a 50 percent decrease, mainly due to reduced dry bulk handling, while volumes of pulp products continue to increase.

Port of Gothenburg throughput, first quarter 2025

*One TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) corresponds to one twenty-foot container.