Port of Gothenburg advances Skandia Gateway expansion

The Port of Gothenburg has completed the reinforcement of the southern quay at its container terminal, marking a major milestone in the Skandia Gateway project, which aims to accommodate larger container vessels with deeper draughts.

The reinforcement works, carried out by construction company NCC since spring 2024, covered the westernmost 700 metres of the terminal’s southern quay. According to the port, the project phase was completed on schedule and within its allocated contract budget.

With the quay reinforcement finished, the next stage will involve blasting and dredging operations to deepen the waters immediately alongside the terminal. These works are scheduled to begin on 13 October 2026.

Dredging works to begin in October

Boskalis Sweden will undertake the next phase, covering the first 50 metres of water alongside the reinforced 700-metre section of the quay.

The works will involve removing more than 200,000 cubic metres of soft dredged material and approximately 30,000 cubic metres of rock. The area is being designed to accommodate vessels with a maximum draught of 17.5 metres.

This phase is expected to be completed in March 2027.

“This is an important milestone for Skandia Gateway. We have completed a major and technically complex quay project,” said Elin Dörrheide, Project Manager for quay reinforcement within Skandia Gateway at the Port of Gothenburg.

The Swedish Maritime Administration is separately preparing a larger programme of dredging and blasting in the approach fairway and turning basin, together with modifications to navigational aids.

The administration plans to award a contract for these works in early 2027, with construction scheduled to begin in August of that year.

Larger container vessels targeted by 2028

The Skandia Gateway project is designed to accommodate container ships measuring up to 430 metres in length and 65 metres in width.

According to the port, these dimensions would allow vessels approximately 30 metres longer and five metres wider than those currently calling at the terminal, with draughts up to four metres deeper.

The Port of Gothenburg and the Swedish Maritime Administration aim to bring the upgraded fairway and quay into operation before the end of 2028.

The development is intended to strengthen the port’s capacity to handle larger container vessels and improve direct maritime connections between Sweden and international markets.

Completing the quay reinforcement represents an important step towards that objective, although the dredging works and fairway improvements remain necessary before the new vessel specifications can be accommodated.