The agreement was signed during a visit to the Port of Gothenburg by a delegation of 20 people from Shenzhen last week. The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen cooperation between the ports on issues such as sustainable transport, volume growth, and new technology.
The Port of Shenzhen is the fourth-largest port in the world and plays a crucial role in southern China and the surrounding region. The port serves as a significant hub for international trade and has a significant impact on the global economy with 30 million handled containers per year.
Although the Port of Shenzhen is larger than the Port of Gothenburg in terms of cargo volume handled, the Port of Gothenburg is regarded with great interest, according to Elvir Dzanic, CEO of Gothenburg Port Authority:
"Both ports share the commonality that we are guarantors of the industry's access to the outside world. Our sustainability work is another reason why international major ports, such as Shenzhen, are interested in our operations. I see a strong willingness from the Chinese side to reduce carbon dioxide emissions throughout the value chain, and I am convinced that much of what we have been working on for a long time in the field of sustainability in Gothenburg can also be implemented in a Chinese context."
With increased cooperation, the possibility of establishing green shipping corridors between the ports is also opened, which would result in significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions for trade between the regions. Establishing green shipping corridors requires collaboration on alternative fuels as well as strategies for implementing new green technologies. These are areas where the Port of Gothenburg is at the forefront and were extensively discussed during the signing ceremony.
"Moreover, we are also the largest port in Scandinavia, covering an important market for China. Our high-quality export industry has been strong in China for a long time, while Scandinavia imports many products from Asia. So there is great potential to develop trade exchange from both growth and sustainability perspectives," added Elvir Dzanic.
Significant trade between the Sweden and China
Sweden's trade with China is extensive. In terms of value, China is Sweden's eighth-largest trading partner in the world and the second-largest outside Europe after the United States. In 2022, the trade between Sweden and China amounted to nearly $20 billion, an increase of 21% compared to 2021.
The majority of Sweden's trade with China pass through the Port of Gothenburg, which has weekly direct traffic to and from Asia and China.
The Port of Gothenburg actively strives to establish strong relationships with international major ports in countries with which Sweden and Scandinavia have extensive trade and potential knowledge exchange. Recently, the port entered into a similar sister port agreement with the Port of Los Angeles to create conditions for growth, green shipping corridors, and promote sustainable development and digitalization in shipping.
The delegation from Shenzhen included, among others, the Director-General of Shenzhen Port Authority, Han Li Qing, the Director of the Shenzhen Transport Bureau, Dong Yan Ze, and the Consul General of China in Gothenburg, Gu Hui. The sister port agreement was signed by Dong Yan Ze and Elvir Dzanic, CEO of the Gothenburg Port Authority.