APM Terminals Gothenburg to launch Haparanda rail freight link connecting Nordic industry to global markets. Starting 5 November the new Sweden-Finland freight corridor is expected to shorten Oulu-to-Asia shipping times by eight days. A new rail freight link between Haparanda and the Port of Gothenburg is scheduled to launch on 5 November 2026, connecting Finnish and northern Swedish industrial freight with international shipping services through APM Terminals Gothenburg. Haparanda is being positioned as a cross-border consolidation point for cargo from both countries. For shipments travelling from Oulu to Asia, the arrangement is expected to reduce transit times by eight days against traditional options. The service is also designed to provide additional rail capacity throughout the year, including periods when winter ice affects shipping in the Gulf of Bothnia. Local officials view the initiative as a first move towards a sustainable export corridor across Sweden. (PRESS RELEASE) GOTHENBURG, Sweden, 3-Nov-2026 - /EuropaWire/ - A new rail freight service linking Haparanda on the Swedish-Finnish border with the Port of Gothenburg is scheduled to begin on 5 November 2026, opening another route to international markets for exporters in Finland and northern Sweden. The connection will allow freight to be brought together in Haparanda before travelling by rail to the west coast and continuing by sea through APM Terminals Gothenburg. For shipments moving from Oulu in Finland to Asian destinations, the new transport arrangement is expected to shorten transit times by eight days compared with conventional alternatives. Cargo arriving in Gothenburg will be able to connect with established international shipping services, including direct maritime connections to Asia. Building a cross-border freight hub in Haparanda. Located at the meeting point of the Swedish and Finnish transport networks, Haparanda offers a place to consolidate freight originating in both countries. The longer-term objective is to establish the town as an inland logistics hub linking northern Nordic industries with the international shipping network available at Gothenburg. "We see significant potential for Haparanda to develop into a cross-border inland hub between Finland and Sweden. This initiative is a strong example of how we want to connect the Nordic region with Gothenburg by rail and develop new logistics solutions where there is demand. In doing so, we create more opportunities for Nordic industry to reach global markets efficiently and competitively through our extensive shipping network," said Mathias Weismann Poulsen, Head of Commercial at APM Terminals Gothenburg. Year-round capacity for northern Swedish and Finnish industry. The connection is intended to enable greater freight volumes to move by rail while making more effective use of Sweden's existing railway infrastructure. For industrial shippers in northern Sweden and Finland, it also introduces another year-round logistics option, particularly during winter when ice in the Gulf of Bothnia can complicate sea transport. The City of Haparanda sees the project as an initial step towards a sustainable export route stretching from the Gulf of Bothnia to Sweden's west coast. The proposed corridor would build on existing infrastructure rather than depend entirely on new transport facilities. "We want to demonstrate how existing infrastructure can be used to create an entirely new, sustainable export corridor. This is a first step towards establishing a strategic green export corridor between the Gulf of Bothnia and Sweden's west coast," said Roger Danell, Municipal Director of the City of Haparanda. Press contact. Cajsa Leven Communication Manager

Maersk-APM to develop $800m container terminal at Morocco's Tanger Med. Maersk-APM has signed a concession agreement to develop a new container terminal at Tanger Med 3 in Morocco, in a major expansion that could boost the port complex's annual handling capacity to 20 million containers. The agreement was announced by Morocco's Royal Cabinet following a working session chaired by King Mohammed VI at the Royal Palace in Rabat. The meeting reviewed progress on Tanger Med 3 and preparations for the imminent launch of the first container terminal at Nador West Med. Construction of Tanger Med 3 is expected to begin shortly. Located west of Tanger Med 2, the new terminal will feature 1,200 metres of quay and add an annual handling capacity of 4.5 million containers. The project carries a planned investment of 8 billion Moroccan dirhams. The development will also support the expansion of Tanger Med's passenger and roll-on/roll-off facilities, while paving the way for the eastern extension of Tanger Med 2. Once the planned developments are completed, the Tanger Med complex could handle up to 20 million containers annually, potentially placing it among the world's 10 largest container ports, according to the Royal Cabinet. Meanwhile, Morocco is preparing to bring the first container terminal at Nador West Med into operation within days. The terminal's initial development will eventually provide annual handling capacity of 3.5 million containers. A second terminal, with capacity for a further 1.8 million containers annually, is scheduled to begin operations in April 2027. Investment across the wider Nador West Med port and industrial complex has reached 54 billion dirhams, encompassing both public and private funding. Beyond container handling, the complex is being developed as a major industrial, logistics and energy hub, with dedicated facilities for hydrocarbons, liquefied natural gas (LNG), dry bulk and general cargo.