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Ports : Sweden’s first inland shipping barge shuttle service has started from Stockholm Norvik Port
Sweden’s first container barge shuttle service on inland waterways started operation on June 1st between Stockholm Norvik Port and the Port of Västerås. The container barge shuttle service carries the equivalent of around 200 road haulage vehicles, alleviating road network congestion and significantly decreasing carbon dioxide emissions in the region. Services will be operated by German shipping company Deymann.
Stockholm Norvik Port is the container terminal located closest to the area that is by far Sweden’s largest consumer region. Stockholm Norvik also has approach lanes closer to the open sea than any other port on the east coast. The introduction of the new inland shipping shuttle service provides the possibility to sustainably transport goods as close to their end destination as possible.
“We are highly in favor of inland waterway transport. This provides us with a unique opportunity for more efficient transport options in the Stockholm region, reduces congestion on our roads, and provides our shipping companies and cargo owners with additional possibilities,” explains Fredrik Lindstål, Chair of the Board of Ports of Stockholm.
The cargo shuttle service is the first example in Sweden of what is known throughout the EU as the fifth mode of transportation, using smaller EU class vessels on inland waterways. The EU class vessel Emelie Deymann has a shallow keel that is 110 meters in length and has the capacity to carry 208 TEUs, the equivalent of around 200 road haulage vehicles. The sailing time is 15 hours and services will begin with two sailings a week. Barge Transport Sweden AB (BTSA) is helping shipping company Reederei Deymann to introduce the service to Sweden.
“All kinds of consumer goods, such as jeans, sneakers, smartphones, TV screens, and furniture will be shipped by this barge cargo shuttle service, as well as industrial materials. Swedish export goods, such as sawn timber, cartons of beverages, machinery, pulp, and cardboard will be shipped in the opposite direction,” states Lars Rexius, Head of Logistics and Marketing at Barge Transport Sweden AB.
The container terminal at Stockholm Norvik Port is run by Hutchison Ports, one of the world’s largest container terminal operators, with 53 ports in 27 countries.
Stockholm Norvik Port is a brand new RoRo and container terminal in a prime location. Stockholm Norvik is the Baltic Sea’s new deep seaport – with direct access to one of the fastest-growing regions in Europe.
