The Swedish Maritime Administration is moving forward with its Malmporten dredging project following an optimisation phase intended to reduce costs through a revised fairway design.
Preparatory dredging at Luleå Port commenced during the summer of 2024 and reached completion in October of that year.
A joint procurement for the larger dredging works and the new deep-sea port quay was halted in February 2025 because submitted bids exceeded the allocated budget.
The project has since been modified to maintain safety and capacity standards while lowering overall expenditure, the administration said.
A fresh procurement process was launched in September 2025 and is currently in its second phase after initial prequalifications. Qualified bidders have until April 17 to submit their proposals for the dredging works.
“It is difficult to say exactly when we can award, but hopefully already in June this year,” noted Max Bjurström, Project Manager at the Swedish Maritime Administration. The administration remarked that this timeline will be followed by a period of dialogue and negotiation before a final award decision is reached.
Dredging activities are scheduled to commence in mid-May 2027 once the winter ice has broken. The scope of work encompasses the construction of the new deep-sea port, the surrounding port area, and the fairways.