A new weekly rail shuttle service has commenced, providing Oslo with a new link to the largest port in Scandinavia. The service to the port of Gothenburg in Sweden can transfer 2,000 trucks from road to rail, with a resulting reduction in carbon emissions of over 700,000 kg per year, port officials claim.
“Somewhat boastfully we usually say that we are the largest port in Norway thanks to the substantial flows of Norwegian import and export goods that pass through the Port of Gothenburg. This potential is set to increase even further with a highly skilled rail operator that is bringing a much sought-after solution to market,” said Claes Sundmark, a vice president at the Swedish port.
The new shuttle service has been launched by the Norwegian rail operator Cargonet and it will initially operate once a week in each direction between Oslo and the Port of Gothenburg.
“Our experience is that demand for an environmentally friendly transport solution between Oslo and the Port of Gothenburg has increased in recent years. With our broad range of services we can ensure effective transport to and from all the major cities in Norway and we are extremely pleased that we can now offer our customers this service all the way down to Gothenburg,” said Erik Røhne, Cargonet chief executive.
The 580 m long train arrives at the Port of Gothenburg from Oslo on Wednesday afternoon carrying Norwegian export goods for loading onto ships and onward transport to various parts of the world. That evening the train is loaded with import goods bound for the Norwegian market, reaching Oslo next morning.
