The first half of 2026 was characterised by strong cargo flows through the Port of Gothenburg, according to the port's volume report for the period. Container handling remained at record levels, while all other segments posted positive growth. The Port of Gothenburg is the largest container port in Scandinavia and handles the majority of Sweden's containerised freight, making its volumes a widely watched indicator of Swedish foreign trade flows.

Container volumes hold at record levels

During the first six months of the year, 462,000 TEUs were handled at the Port of Gothenburg. This was in line with the corresponding period in 2025, which was the strongest year by volume in the port's history.

The number of laden containers increased while empties decreased, meaning that actual cargo volumes rose even though the total number of units remained unchanged. The increase was driven primarily by continued growth in import volumes, while exports remained at approximately the same level as in the previous year.

The figures also show a clear increase in the proportion of containers shipped on the port's direct services to and from Asia.

"The Port of Gothenburg is the only port in Sweden to offer direct services for containerised cargo to and from Asia. For Swedish importers and exporters, direct services mean efficient, sustainable and reliable transport with fewer disruption-prone stages. Given the current congestion at many ports across Europe, the advantages of direct services without transshipment are becoming even clearer," said Claes Sundmark, Vice President Sales & Marketing at the Port of Gothenburg.

Direct ocean services that bypass transshipment hubs reduce exposure to delays at intermediate ports, a consideration that has gained weight as congestion has affected a number of Northern European ports.

Hapag-Lloyd is one of the shipping lines operating weekly direct services between the Port of Gothenburg and Asia.

Rail volumes on track for a new record

More than 60 per cent of the containers handled at the Port of Gothenburg are transported by rail to or from inland destinations, one of the highest rail shares of any major European port. During the first half of 2026, rail volumes amounted to 268,000 TEUs, an increase of two per cent compared with the corresponding period in the previous year, putting rail traffic to and from the port on course for another record year. A high rail share is also a key element of the port's strategy to reduce emissions from hinterland transport, as rail generates lower emissions per tonne-kilometre than road haulage.

Increased RoRo and vehicle volumes

During the first half of the year, the number of new vehicles handled increased by 17 per cent to 144,000. The increase encompassed traffic both within and beyond Europe, and about three-quarters of the vehicles handled were exports, reflecting the port's role as a gateway for Swedish automotive exports.

The port's intra-European RoRo traffic consists of trailers and other rolling cargo transported on vessels offering frequent departures to key logistics hubs in Northern and Central Europe, as well as the United Kingdom. During the first half of 2026, the number of RoRo units handled increased by two per cent to 278,000 compared with the corresponding period in the previous year, driven primarily by strong growth in services to and from Central Europe.

Strong growth in the energy segment

The volume of energy products handled increased by 19 per cent to 11 million tonnes, with both imports and exports rising. The growth should be viewed in light of a slightly weaker-than-usual comparison period in 2025 due to scheduled maintenance shutdowns in production.

The dry bulk segment also recorded positive growth during the first half of the year, driven primarily by forest products such as paperboard and pulp, consistent with the significance of Swedish forestry inputs in the port's bulk flows.

Source: Port of Gothenburg (via Hellenic Shipping News)