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Skandia gateway –Deeper fairways at the Port of Gothenburg

The Port of Gothenburg is the only Swedish port that can receive the world’s largest oceangoing vessels and in doing so offer direct deep-sea services to other continents. Freight vessels are becoming larger and the fairways leading into the port need to be deepened by around four metres. The project has been entitled Skandia Gateway and now the application for deferral to Land and the environmental court has been submitted. The work of dredging the fairway as well as the harbor basin and quay measures is expected to be completed by 2026.

Factfile – Skandia Gateway Project
In just 10 years the average container vessel has become 10 times larger. The limited depth in the fairway means that the largest vessels are currently unable to call at the Port of Gothenburg when fully loaded.

According to a study produced by the Swedish Transport Administration, the fairway needs to be deepened by around four metres if the draught is to be sufficient. The area that requires deepening is almost 5 kilometres long. In total, dredge spoils equivalent to the volume of 20 Globe Arenas will need to be excavated. A vital part of this initiative is the deepening and reinforcement of the quays to allow vessels with a large draught to load and discharge simultaneously and sustainably in the future.

Gothenburg Port Authority is also involved in discussions with contractors
Deepening the fairway will require extensive reinforcement of the existing quays at our container terminal.

The Gothenburg Port Authority is involved in discussions with contractors that may be interested at a later stage in submitting tenders as part of the upcoming procurement process linked to our quay reinforcement programme. Contractors that are interested in taking part in discussions are invited to notify the Gothenburg Port Authority by emailing Jan Andersson, Senior Technical Advisor and Project Manager, at jan.andersson@portgot.se

INFORMATION

  • So much deeper it needs to be
    4 metre
  • The largest ships loads
    20 000 containers
  • Cost
    SEK 2,55 billion (2020)
  • State funding
    SEK 1.25 billion
  • Needs of dredging
    About 12 million m3
  • The socio-economic benefit is
    A wagered SEK = four back

PROJECT CONTACT

  • Jan Andersson
    Jan Andersson
    Senior Technical Advisor
    +46 31 368 75 27
  • Kristina Bernstén
    Kristina Bernstén
    Project manager
    +46733402183
  • Eva Wegsjö Sande
    Eva Wegsjö Sande
    Delprojektledare upphandling
    +46 31 368 75 46

The project in numbers

15 years

is the time within the entire investment would be repaid socioeconomically

130

Direct traffic lines to the rest of the world

70

percentage of Sweden's foreign trade is transported by shipping

/

The image shows the area in the port of Gothenburg that needs to be deepened.

The socioeconomic benefit (BCR – benefit-cost ratio) of the investment is very high. According to Transport Administration calculations, every krona invested would produce four in return. The high benefit-cost outcome for the project would also mean that the entire investment would be repaid socioeconomically within just 15 years. 

Many of the larger vessels that call at Gothenburg on a regular basis with Swedish import and export goods have a draught of up to 16 metres, far deeper than the current limit of 13.5 metres.

Container vessels that call at the Port of Gothenburg can carry between 1,000 and 19,500 containers.

After the fairways have been deepened by 3-4 metres, all vessels carrying more than 5,000 containers will be able to put into port carrying a higher volume of cargo than is presently the case. 

When will vessels be able to call at the Port of Gothenburg without any limitations? If everything proceeds according to plan, work on deepening the fairways can commence at some point after 2023. It will then take a few years before the work is finally completed.

Read more about the Skandia Gateway

Our fairway needs to be deeper
—

Time plan

  • 2025 December

    PROJECT FINISHED

    • December 2026
    • October 2026
    • March 2026
    • December 2025
    • October 2023
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • May 2021
    • December 2020
    • August 2020
    • June 2018
    • January 2018
  • 2017 October

    PROJECT STARTING

  • 2025December

    PROJECT FINISHED

  • December 2026

    • Somewere after 2025, the fairway can be deepend and clear.

  • October 2026

    • Strengthening of the eastern quay camp in Skandiaport is planned to start.

  • March 2026

    • Dredging outside the western quay location is expected to be completed during Q1 2026

  • December 2025

    • The contract for the western quay location completed.

  • October 2023

    • Planned start of deepening and widening of the fairway. Dredging started.

  • January 2022

    • Strengthening of the western quay camp in Skandiahamnen is planned to start.

  • December 2021

    • Guide cost agreed, order to NCC for commencement of construction.

  • November 2021

    • Approved environmental permits can be ready, at the earliest, in September 2021. 

  • May 2021

    • When the fairway is deepened by three to four meters, all ships that take more than 5,000 containers will be able to load more than they do.

  • December 2020

    • The environmental impact statement completed and the documents submitted for review by the Land and Environmental Court.

  • August 2020

    • Start on detailed project planning. Project offices are established.

  • June 2018

    • The Government decides on a national plan for the infrastructure for the years 2018–2029. In it, a budget is set aside for the deeper fairways in the Port of Gothenburg.

  • January 2018

    • The picture shows the development of the vessels in depth. Container vessels have doubled in ten years

  • 2017October

    PROJECT STARTING