For the 19th year in succession, Gothenburg has been named as the best logistics location in Sweden by the trade journal Intelligent Logistik. With a nationwide rail shuttle network and growing container volumes, the Port of Gothenburg is described as being a pivotal factor in the emergence of the region as a logistics hub.
In the citation, the Gothenburg Region is described as being an “exceptional distribution location” with strong regional growth in the consumer market and in industry. The Port of Gothenburg is highlighted specifically as being a key reason for the award, and where rail logistics is an essential part.
“The rail system is an incredibly important and effective means of linking the whole of Sweden and parts of Scandinavia to the port. It consolidates our position as the freight hub for the whole of Scandinavia, while at the same time it plays a critical role in helping us achieve our extremely ambitious environmental goals,” said Elvir Dzanic.
Long-term investment in the port rail concept has meant that the volume of freight transported by rail to and from the port is the highest in the port’s 400-year history. At the same time, the port is continuing to focus on creating conditions for growth in this sector, the latest addition being the new Svea Terminal, complete with rail links, which is increasing capacity at the port even further.
Future challenges
Attention is also drawn to the challenges facing the logistics sector in the Gothenburg region, including satisfying the future need for logistics space. The importance of deepening the fairway into the Port of Gothenburg is stated to be a vital means of ensuring continued growth in volumes in the years to come.
“The fact that the fairway is sufficiently deep is much more than a port issue. It is crucial if Swedish companies are to continue trading with transocean markets effectively and sustainably. It is reassuring that preparations for deepening the fairway are already under way,” said Elvir Dzanic.
This high-profile list of the best Swedish logistics locations in Sweden has been published since 2001. The ranking is based on access to a logistics base, flows/geography, infrastructure, land access, know-how and skills, and the collaborative climate throughout the region.
Extract from the citation:
“The Gothenburg region is an exceptional distribution and logistics location with the largest container port in the Nordic region and an extensive rail shuttle network. There is strong regional growth as a consumer market and in the logistics-intensive industry sector. Through Chalmers University of Technology and Gothenburg University this is one of the country’s foremost logistics research and education centres. Despite the challenges encountered in meeting the need for land, growth in logistics space has been the highest in the country in recent years, with 187,000 square metres of floor space added during the past year. This is set to continue in 2020. The port has once again succeeded in increasing its container volumes and this has been prioritised in the infrastructure plan. Nevertheless, deepening of the fairway must take place to ensure volumes continue to grow in the years ahead.”
Fact file: Port of Gothenburg
The Port of Gothenburg is the largest port in the Nordic region. 30 per cent of Swedish foreign trade passes through the Port of Gothenburg as well as half of all container traffic.
The Port of Gothenburg is the only port in Sweden with the capacity to receive the world’s largest container vessels and has the broadest range of shipping routes within and outside Europe. The 25 rail shuttles that depart each day mean that companies throughout Sweden and Norway have a direct, environmentally smart link to the largest port in the Nordic region. The Port of Gothenburg has terminals for oil, cars, ro-ro, containers and passengers.
