5 key takeaways - freight volumes in 2024

1. Significant increase in imports

Containerized import volumes grew by nearly 15%, contributing to an almost 50-50 balance between imports and exports. This balance reduces the need for empty container shipments, leading to greater efficiency and lower costs in the supply chain.

– We have mainly seen a significant increase in imports throughout the year, and this is a trend we expect to continue in 2025. This recovery means we are now approaching a 50-50 balance between imports and exports. While this is something we are used to in the Port of Gothenburg, it is quite unique when compared to other ports in Sweden and abroad, says Claes Sundmark, Vice President Sales at the Port of Gothenburg.

2. Record levels for rail transport

Rail transport volumes increased by 7%, with over 500,000 TEUs transported to and from the port by rail. This figure is unmatched by most major international ports and is driven by rising volumes to key import-heavy destinations such as Falköping and Nässjö, as well as new rail shuttle connections to and from Sundsvall, Haparanda, and Bastuträsk.

More than 60% of the containers transported to and from the Port of Gothenburg from the hinterland are moved by rail, a figure that few other major ports worldwide can match.

Learn more about shipping goods to and from the Port of Gothenburg by rail here. 

3. Ro-Ro and vehicle imports faced challenges

The sluggish European economy impacted ro-ro volumes, which fell by 3%. However, the port’s largest ro-ro terminal, Gothenburg RoRo Terminal, which handles traffic to major logistics hubs in Belgium and the UK, recorded an increase in volume for the year.

The number of handled cars decreased by 4%, reaching 257,000. This decline is attributed to a drop in new vehicle registrations in Sweden (-7% according to Mobility Sweden). However, car exports, dominated by Volvo Cars, remained stable and even showed slight growth.

4. Strong growth in energy products and Breakbulk

The handling of energy products increased by a significant 18%, thanks to investments in biofuel production.

A total of 463,000 tons of breakbulk cargo, such as pulp, cardboard, granules, stone, and gravel, were handled during the year. This represents a 6% increase in 2024, marking the fifth consecutive year of stable growth in this segment.

5. Cruise traffic on the road to recovery

The number of cruise calls decreased from 81 to 56 due to planned construction work at one of the port’s cruise terminals. However, with 63 confirmed bookings for 2025 so far, it is already clear that the coming year will be stronger for the cruise segment.

See the planned cruise calls for 2025 here.