Container volumes at the Port of Gothenburg have recovered following a drop of 19% in 2017.
During the first six months of this year, container volumes at the Port of Gothenburg rose by 19%, from 318,000 teus in the corresponding period in 2017, to 378,000 teus.
Port of Gothenburg said that 2017’s figure was weak due to the Swedish Dockworkers’ Union’s (SDU) labour dispute with APM Terminals, which had a significant impact on customers’ willingness to use the port.
Magnus Kårestedt, chief executive of Gothenburg Port Authority, said: “Motor vehicle volumes are growing, and energy products remain at a high level. Although the container terminal has gone through a very testing period, the situation is looking brighter, with customers and volumes making a welcome return and with several new productivity records during the past six months. Whilst the trend is positive, the segment still has a long way to go before it is back where it ought to be.”
The number of cars and intra-European ro-ro units shipped increased by 10% and 4% respectively, whilst the energy segment fell by 3%.
The number of new cars handled at the port has increased year on year since 2013, and volumes are up 10% for the first six months of 2018. Some 152,000 cars were shipped – the highest number in 10 years.
Intra-European Ro-Ro traffic to and from the Port of Gothenburg comprises mainly forest products and input goods for the engineering industry. With 593,000 ro-ro units handled, 2017 saw an all-time high for this segment. 2018 could be yet another record-breaking year with 305,000 units reported for the first six months, a rise of 4%.
APM Terminals has been contacted for comment but did not reply before Port Strategy's story deadline.
