The Port of Gothenburg in Sweden recorded stable cargo flows during the first quarter of the year despite experiencing a slight decline in total container volumes.
Container handling dropped by three per cent to 234,000 units year-on-year as a significant reduction in empty containers offset the growth seen in loaded cargo.
Claes Sundmark, Vice President Sales and Marketing at the Port of Gothenburg, stated that a continued increase in imports has strengthened the balance between imports and exports to nearly a 50–50 split.
Although March showed growth, lower activity in January and February resulted in the overall quarterly decline in container volumes. The port reported that the proportion of containers transported by rail continued to increase.
Car handling increased by 15 per cent to 71,000 units compared with the first quarter of 2025. This growth was attributed to the transshipment of vehicles normally handled in other ports that faced capacity constraints.
Intra-European Ro-Ro traffic decreased by two per cent to 133,000 units during the first three months of the year. The port stated this was partly due to planned vessel maintenance that temporarily reduced available capacity.
Energy product volumes increased by 19 per cent to 5.6 million tonnes as refineries saw strong demand. This rise followed a relatively weak comparison period, which was affected by maintenance shutdowns.
Dry bulk handling increased by 29 per cent to 91,000 tonnes, largely driven by forest products. This growth follows several quarters of weaker development for sand, gravel and timber segments according to the port.
Total passenger numbers for cruise and ferry traffic increased by eight per cent to 248,000 people. The port remarked that the cruise season began "unusually early" this year with five calls recorded during the first quarter.
