An ongoing joint fairway enhancement programme with the Swedish Shipping Administration is widening, straightening and deepening the approaches to the Port and will increase water depth at the deepsea container berths from 12 to 14.2m.

The dredging works make quay strengthening necessary as the construction of the quay more than 30 years ago did not anticipate the depths now proposed. Heavy landfill material will be replaced by lighter material to avoid excessive pressure on the quay construction.

An additional crane rail will also be constructed, allowing container cranes with a 30m gauge to be used in addition to the 20m gauge cranes presently in use. The Port anticipates that future cranes will have dimensions requiring the larger track, which will also influence stability and precision during operations. Also, the development of twin-lifts of 40' boxes places heavier loads on a longer outreach.

The Skandia Container Terminal is fast approaching its capacity of 750,000 TEU per annum. Last year saw an 8% increase in volume to 575,000 TEU. Additional capacity will be created by adjustments of the terminal layout, new machinery and improved working patterns.

At the end of last month, Sweden signed up for America's Container Security Initiative, which will pre-check all US-bound containers leaving the Port of Goteborg. The agreement is of significance for all the Nordic countries as Goteborg is the only Scandinavian port for direct container shipping to America.

The Port has also benefited from the recent completion of Berth 601 on the eastern side of Skandia Harbour. The $3.5m deepsea car terminal adds a fourth berth to the existing new car import/export facilities. Berth 601 provides 10m depth alongside and features a 21m wide ramp to serve the ocean-going car carriers that move some 300,000 cars through Goteborg each year.

The timely completion of Berth 601 means vessel allocation will be more flexible at the south quay of Skandia Harbour as the quay reinforcement programme is underway.

MJ Information No: 17937