Original news was published 02 January, 2018

SWEDEN's Port of Gavle and its operator Yilport Gavle have entered into a joint venture worth SKR700 million (US$83.09 million) to build a second dock that will double the site's annual container handling capacity to 600,000 TEU so as to attract more import and export cargo.

The second dock at Gavle, a city of 75,450 half way up the Baltic coast, will be equipped with new cranes and the harbour will be deepened to accommodate larger container vessels at the port.

The expansion works are slated for completion in the final quarter of 2019, and will enable the port to serve up to four ships simultaneously, reported Ship Technology.

Yilport Nordic general manager Eryn Dinyovszky said: "Within a 250 kilometre radius of Gavle, almost 17 million tonnes of steel, paper and timber are produced every year. A lot of it is already being exported by sea, containerised and through us, and that volume will definitely grow."

The National Food Agency of Sweden is also developing a new laboratory to examine imported foodstuff in connection with the expanded facility.

Port of Gavle CEO Fredrik Svanbom said: "The port of Gavle is just two hours from Stockholm. First-class road and rail connections make it beneficial for cargo owners not only just in our region, but also in other parts of Sweden, to increase their imports through the port of Gavle.

*NEWS SOURCE