EU greenlights fairway deepening at Port of Gothenburg

The Skandia Gateway project has received the final approval from

Gothenburg.

The EU Commission’s endorsement confirms that state funding for the

infrastructure project does not constitute state aid. Following the

announcement, the Gothenburg Port Authority could activate the previously

prepared agreement with NCC concerning the quay reinforcement part of the

Skandia Gateway project.

Next, a project organisation will be formed, and offices will be

established adjacent to the Port of Gothenburg container terminal ahead of the

ceremony scheduled for February 2024.

“The stage has been set for a long time, and it is with great confidence

that we can now press the button and proceed with this project, which is so

crucial for the competitiveness of Swedish industry. It is high time that we get

started,” Said Göran Eriksson, CEO of the Gothenburg Port Authority.

Direct shipping without transshipment across the world’s oceans to and from

the Port of Gothenburg is a vital prerequisite for the Swedish industry to reach

global markets efficiently in terms of both climate and cost, according to the

Port of Gothenburg. However, as the largest vessels have become increasingly

larger, a deeper fairway in the port is required.

Over 15 years, the capacity of containerships has increased by 50 per cent,

and currently, the largest ships can only enter the Port of Gothenburg

half-loaded. Meanwhile, shipping companies are envisioning even larger

vessels.

“This is not about the port’s raison d’être, but about ensuring that we

continue to serve Swedish industry in the future,” Eriksson added.

“The current fairway depth is already a limitation as shipping companies

are restricted in their choice of route to reach Gothenburg. With the fairway

deepening, the largest vessels can enter fully loaded in the future, which in

turn provides flexibility in existing traffic. It’s a climate aspect in itself,

while the port becomes interesting in even more line setups.”

Skandia Gateway is a collaborative project where the Gothenburg Port

Authority is responsible for quay reinforcement measures in the container

terminal, while the Swedish Maritime Administration is responsible for measures

in the fairway. Initially, 700 metres of quay will be reinforced.

This is a prerequisite for the quay to be ready to accommodate larger

vessels than possible today, and for the Swedish Maritime Administration to

start dredging work in a 5-kilometre stretch of the fairway, where 11 million

cubic metres of clay will be excavated.

Jenny Röström, Project Manager at the Swedish Maritime Administration,

said: “The EU’s decision gives us the opportunity to continue working on Skandia

Gateway to achieve the joint goal of completion by 2027/2028 for the Swedish

Maritime Administration and the Gothenburg Port Authority.

“For the Swedish Maritime Administration, we are working on procuring a

contractor for fairway measures, aiming to commence dredging work after the

summer of 2026.”

Earlier this year, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Gothenburg

signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership and

collaboration in multiple domains.

More recently, APM Terminal (APMT) in Gothenburg reported its highest

quarterly volume of containers ever, despite many shipping lines reporting

declines.