Port of Gothenburg gives priority to electric trucks

Electric trucks are being are being granted priority passage and handling in the container terminal at the Port of Gothenburg in Sweden, the biggest of its type in the Nordic region.

Terminal operator APM

Terminals is favouring haulage firms that have already started to convert their vehicle fleets, while at the same time giving an additional incentive to those considering investing in electrification.

It means that electric trucks will be fast-tracked through APM Terminals’ gate 4 with a reserved lane, and also enjoy prioritised handling within the terminal area. This creates efficiency gains and planning ability that is particularly important for electric trucks, as there are strict demands on optimisation, given the limited range of electric vehicles.

Brian Bitsch, commercial manager at APM Terminals

Gothenburg commented: “We’re seeing more and more haulage firms starting to electrify parts of their vehicle fleets, and we know that more are considering investing in a green transition of heavy goods traffic.

“We hope that supporting these initiatives by offering the fastest possible passage and handling will serve as an incentive and be one small step along the way. Our own container handling operation has been fossil-free for several years, and this solution is fully in line with APM Terminals’ work on sustainability, in which collaboration with our customers is an important key.”

Breakthrough for electric trucks

Of the one million vehicles that pass through the port each year, a third – about 1,000 a day – use APM Terminals, but only fraction – so far – are electric.

But from the beginning of March logistics firm DFDS introduced 20 electric trucks, some of which are used within the port. Also, Sweden’s biggest container road transporter recently deployed three electric trucks in flows to and from the container terminal. The new priority for electric trucks has contributed to the haulage firm’s recent decision to invest in two more electric trucks, which will be put into service in May.

“Electric trucks are a major investment, so the fact that we now have priority in the container terminal is really important to us. It means that we can perform more assignments every day, which benefits both us and our customers. It also means that we can recoup the investment more quickly,” says Johan Söderström, commercial chief at Skaraslättens Transport.

Paving the way for the transition

Including the priority measures at APM’s terminals, there are now three that have a priority system in place for electric trucks. Between them, these terminals handle around 90 per cent of the port’s total truck flows. The other two terminals are operated by Gothenburg Roro Terminal and Stena Line.

“It’s a really important initiative by the terminal operators, which literally paves the way for the transition. With a priority system in place for the terminals that handle the most trucks, and the growing infrastructure for charging in the area around the port, the conditions for electric trucks are better here than at any other port. This is a development we’re incredibly proud of, but there’s still work to be done,” says Martin Adeteg, head of decarbonisation, health and safety at the Gothenburg Port Authority.