APM Terminals Gothenburg predicts a record year for railway volumes

APM Terminals Gothenburg predicts a record year for railway volumes due to the rising interest in rail transport in the Nordics. The Swedish container market grew by 8% in the first quarter of 2024, and the rail network is expanding with new destinations, both within and outside Sweden’s borders.

During the first half of this year, APM Terminals in Gothenburg added a total of four new destinations to its rail network, namely Oslo, Umeå, Bastuträsk and Haparanda.

The new twice-weekly shuttle between Oslo and Gothenburg is operated by Norway’s CargoNet, connecting two important Nordic hubs. The service is expected to increase to five departures a week by the end of the year.

A container loaded at the Alnabru terminal in Oslo arrives at APM Terminals in Gothenburg later that same day. The Terminal expects to add at least five new shuttle services in the second half of 2024. APM Terminals claims there is still 40% rail capacity available at the terminal.

“The remarkable growth of the Swedish container market during the first quarter of the year was driven by strong exports of mainly forestry products, combined with an upturn in import volumes,” says Per Wahlström, market analyst at APM Terminals Gothenburg. “Sustainability is becoming a top priority in procurement and rail solutions are not only environmentally friendly, but also economically beneficial.”

“The unique geographical position of APM Terminals Gothenburg and the widespread rail network is attracting customers from all over Scandinavia,” he explains. “Now both Norwegian and Finnish goods are being handled in Gothenburg, and the railway network has been expanded with destinations that we could only dream of previously.”