The CEO explained: “We had hoped for a recovery towards the end of the year in the absence of any industrial action since last summer. But this was not the case. The message from the freight owners is loud and clear – the constant threat of industrial action hanging over the container terminal means they will not be returning without a long-term solution that will ensure reliable freight handling over time.”
In its new schedules a major container shipping line converted its Gothenburg service from a direct call to a dedicated feeder, the first time it has dropped a direct call at Gothenburg in 50 years.
The new service should begin in mid-January and the shipping line said on its website that “the new service will result in a dramatic reliability improvement.”
Port of Gothenburg said that despite low container volumes, overall volumes remained similar to 2016 as strong car exports and a rise in trailer freight compensated for the drop in container freight.