Slower trade with developing economies hits Gothenburg box volumes

he port moved 424,000 teu over the first half, compared to 463,000 teu in H1 2013, which it put down to a global slowdown in trade of containerised goods. Ro-ro traffic which accounts for a a large portion of European volumes were up 3%.

"European freight has risen steadily for the past year or so thanks to the recovery in the economy. We have recently seen signs of a slow-down in growth in Europe although this has yet to be replicated in our volumes, Magnus Kårestedt ceo of the Port of Gothenburg said. "This could be an indication that Swedish trade with rapidly expanding economies in other parts of the world is not growing at the same rate as previously.”

The fall in containers was accompanied by an 11% drop in crude oil as well as refined petroleum products, to 9.1m tonnes from 10.3m tonnes in H1 2013.

However, car exports from the port increased by 17% in H1 2014 compared with the same period last year, which Gothenburg attributed to growing Volvo exports. In total, 89,000 new cars were handled at the port.

"European freight has risen steadily for the past year or so thanks to the recovery in the economy,” said Kårestedt. “We have recently seen signs of a slow-down in growth in Europe although this has yet to be replicated in our volumes."

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