€18 million dredging contract for Boskalis in Gothenburg

Sweden’s largest port is undergoing a major transformation through the Skandia Gateway project, a multi-billion-krona infrastructure upgrade designed to future-proof the country’s trade capacity.

Led by the Port of Gothenburg in collaboration with the Swedish Maritime Administration, the project centres on deepening the port’s main shipping channel and modernising quay infrastructure at the Skandia container terminal. The fairway will be deepened from approximately 13.5 metres to 17.5 metres, allowing the port to accommodate the world’s largest container vessels—an increasingly critical requirement in global shipping.

Alongside dredging works, extensive quay reinforcement is under way. Swedish construction firm NCC secured a contract worth around SEK1 billion (€92.8 million) to rebuild and strengthen sections of the terminal, including new piling, sheet walls, and upgraded utilities. These improvements aim to increase capacity and operational efficiency while extending the lifespan of key infrastructure.

The rationale behind Skandia Gateway is largely economic. As shipping lines deploy ever-larger vessels to reduce costs per container, ports that cannot handle them risk losing traffic. For Sweden, an export-driven economy reliant on efficient logistics, the upgrade is seen as essential to maintaining competitiveness and securing long-term trade flows.

However, rising construction costs have posed challenges. Procurement for dredging contracts has faced delays after bids exceeded initial budgets, prompting a restructuring of tenders.

Despite these hurdles, Skandia Gateway remains a cornerstone investment, with completion expected later this decade and long-term benefits anticipated for Swedish industry and international trade.