5 insights into cargo volumes January–September 2026

1. What lies behind the stable container volumes?

The Port of Gothenburg handled 698,000 TEU during January–September 2026, compared with 699,000 TEU in the same period in 2025. While the total remained largely unchanged, the balance between laden and empty containers shifted.

Laden container volumes increased by 2%, while empty container volumes fell by 11%. The stable overall figure therefore masks an increase in containers carrying cargo.

Import and export trends also differed. Imports of laden containers rose by 7%, while exports fell by 1%.

TEU is a standard measure of container volume. One TEU corresponds to one twenty-foot container.

2. How is rail transport to and from the port developing?

During the first nine months of 2026, 403,000 TEU were transported by rail to and from the Port of Gothenburg. This represents an increase of 2% compared with the same period in 2025, putting rail traffic on track for another record year.

Growth came primarily from the inland rail shuttles connecting the port with Småland, Skåne, western Sweden and several destinations in northern Sweden. Around 60% of the port’s containers travel by rail to or from the hinterland.

Through Railport Scandinavia, inland import and export flows connect with shipping services in Gothenburg. For businesses across Sweden, rail provides a link between local operations and international markets.

“The port’s rail system, Railport Scandinavia, is a key part of our offering. It strengthens the competitiveness of Swedish industry by connecting import and export regions across the country with the port’s extensive range of shipping services, efficiently and sustainably,” says Claes Sundmark, Vice President Sales & Marketing at the Port of Gothenburg.

3. Which cargo segments grew the most?

New cars and energy products recorded the strongest percentage growth during January–September 2026. Car handling increased by 14%, while energy volumes rose by 10%.

A total of 197,000 new cars passed through the Port of Gothenburg, compared with 172,000 in the same period in 2025. Both imports and exports increased, with imports rising by 29% and exports by 10%.

Energy product volumes reached 16.5 million tonnes. Exports saw the strongest growth in this segment, rising by 15%, while imports increased by 4%.

4. How are ro-ro cargo flows developing?

The Port of Gothenburg handled 405,000 ro-ro units during the first three quarters of the year, an increase of 2% compared with the same period in 2025. Both imports and exports contributed to the growth.

Ro-ro stands for roll-on/roll-off, meaning cargo is rolled on and off vessels. This traffic includes truck trailers and connects Gothenburg with logistics hubs in northern and central Europe and the UK through frequent sailings.

5. What do the figures show for other cargo and passenger traffic?

Dry bulk and breakbulk handling increased by 1% to 266,000 tonnes. Growth was driven primarily by pulp arriving as breakbulk, meaning cargo handled as individual units, before being exported in containers.

Passenger traffic remained largely unchanged, with approximately 1.14 million passengers during January–September. Cruise calls, however, fell from 55 to 40. Fewer cruise calls therefore coincided with a continued stable overall passenger volume.