The Port of Gothenburg has witnessed a remarkable surge in rail freight, with volumes doubling over the last six years and rail accounting for almost 60% of total container operations. APM Terminals, located in the leading Swedish port, follows a similar trajectory: around 50% of all goods arriving at the facility today do so by rail. As Svante Altas, senior sales executive manager at APM Terminals Gothenburg, highlights, this transformation offers a potential roadmap for other European ports aiming to optimise their rail connections.
Gothenburg’s rail success continues vigorously. Between 2023 and 2024, container transport to and from the port increased by 7%, while the first two months of 2025 indicate a 20% increase over the same period last year.
For APM Terminals, the rail growth trend is apparent from January’s data alone, indicating a 30% increase in containers handled by rail and a 52% increase in rail import volumes compared with January 2024.
Key success elements
A key element of Gothenburg’s success is cooperation among stakeholders. Altas emphasised the importance of integrating clients, rail operators, and inland terminals into a cohesive, sustainable solution. This collaborative approach fosters a sustainable ecosystem where “Reliability, Flexibility, Quality, and Trust” are central to every interaction.
Streamlining operations has also been a critical factor. By cutting train turnaround times in half, APM Terminals Gothenburg has significantly boosted efficiency, making rail a more attractive option for shippers. Altas also noted the importance of ongoing investment in IT solutions to support seamless operations; however, he stressed that trust remains a key element in operations.
Market deregulation keeps rail moving
The deregulation of Sweden’s railway system was definitely a milestone in terms of the general conditions allowing the Swedish port to champion its railway operations. According to Altas, market liberalisation has significantly facilitated growth in rail freight and its share in port operations.
For some context, the first policy stemming from the Swedish government signalling deregulation was in place in 1988. By 1996, Swedish rail freight was fully deregulated, while the EU followed eleven years later, in 2007.
Invest, invest, invest
Continuous infrastructure investments are vital for supporting and expanding port-rail capabilities. This is a widely accepted view that Altas shares. In this regard, Altas is convinced that the EU provides enough support programmes and tools to help establish new rail terminals.
Nevertheless, by investment, the Gothenburg-based specialist does not necessarily always mean publicly funded infrastructure works. On the contrary, he thinks companies should also lead the investment race. When it comes to that, APM Terminals’ investment focus lies mainly within the port’s vicinity while cooperating and consulting with relevant stakeholders regarding inland investment projects. “However, we see a growing interest for larger inland investments from our side in the future,” said Altas, underlining that this is a way to streamline the port’s supply chains with the hinterland even more.
While Altas acknowledged that there is still work to be done to create the perfect port-rail ecosystem in Europe, he believes Sweden is on the right track. He suggested that other regions consider railway deregulation and increased infrastructure investments more seriously and use Sweden as a blueprint for port-rail development.