GOTHENBURG: April 12, 2019. APM Terminals has launched the ‘Gothenburg Gateway’ – a programme to ensure a container placed on a freight train anywhere in Sweden is loaded onto a ocean-going box ship within 48 hours.

According to the company the aim is to reduce transit times to Shanghai by seven days by enabling all parts of the country to have the same fast access.

Described as a new concept in Swedish logistics, the programme aims to combine fast freight trains from all over Sweden to Gothenburg; an efficient container port that loads between trains and ships; and up to three more ocean-going vessels calling Gothenburg every week.

Next week, the first train of Green Cargo will depart from APM Terminals’ inland terminal in Gävle. The Maersk company claims a 41 percent market share of Swedish container imports and exports.

“Via The Gothenburg Gateway it should take a maximum of 24 hours to reach Gothenburg by freight train, and a maximum of 48 hours in total to place a container on an ocean-going vessel,” claimed Henrik Kristensen, CEO APM Terminals Gothenburg.

“We analyzed how long it takes for a container to reach Shanghai - an important Asian market for Sweden. The Gothenburg Gateway will help reduce this time by at least one week, as well as offering an efficient and climate-smart solution.”

Kristensen said the next step is to develop the port, logistics to and from the port, and develop logistics solutions around it. “We will achieve this together with goods owners, freight lines, railway and truck operators, local and national authorities,” he added.