The Port of Gothenburg has signed a contract with Boskalis Sweden AB for blasting and dredging works as part of Skandia Gateway, a strategic infrastructure project designed to accommodate the world’s largest vessels. The contract is valued at approximately SEK 202 million (around EUR 18 million).

Deepening the Fairway to Future-Proof the Port

The works form a central part of the port’s contribution to the Skandia Gateway project, which aims to deepen the fairway into the Port of Gothenburg from its current vessel draught of 13.5 metres to a maximum of 17.5 metres. The increase will enable more frequent calls from larger, deeper-draught vessels at Scandinavia’s biggest port, a move seen as critical to securing Sweden’s long-term access to global shipping routes.

Ongoing quay reinforcement works as part of the Skandiaporten project. The project will soon enter its next phase. Photo: The Port of Gothenburg.

Boskalis was selected following a competitive tender process that drew interest from five contractors. Jan Andersson, Project Manager for Skandia Gateway at the Port of Gothenburg, described the chosen contractor as highly qualified. “It is a highly competent contractor with solid experience in projects of a similar nature,” he said.

Building on Two Years of Groundwork

The contract award marks a significant milestone in a project that has been years in the making. Since spring 2024, the Port of Gothenburg has undertaken extensive quay reinforcement works at its container terminal, upgrades that were a necessary prerequisite before dredging and blasting could begin.

Andersson confirmed the project remains firmly on track. “This is one of the final major milestones in the port’s part of the project, and we remain on schedule and within the previously communicated budget,” he said.

Preparations for the project organisation are now underway, with construction works scheduled to take place during the next dredging season, running from October 2026 to March 2027.

A Collaborative Infrastructure Project

Once the port’s works are complete, the Swedish Maritime Administration will take over responsibility for dredging the fairway outside the port area, from the port basin out towards the port entrance. Those works are planned to begin in autumn 2027.

Skandia Gateway is a collaboration between the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Swedish Transport Administration, and the Port of Gothenburg. As vessel sizes continue to grow globally, the current fairway depth has increasingly limited the ability of large ships to call at Gothenburg fully loaded. The port is currently the largest in Scandinavia and the only one in Sweden capable of handling the world’s largest ocean-going vessels.

The project is designed to ensure that status endures well into the future.