Nordic and Baltic hub readies cross-docking facility for surging trade

Surging trade between Asia and Europe drives the need for cost-efficient logistics on both continents. With its latest investment of 150 million Swedish kronor (HK$180 million) in a cross-docking facility, Norrkopings Hamn och Stuveri (NHS) ensures that Norrköping port remains well-equipped and strategic as the Nordic and Baltic sea region's distribution hub.

A maritime centre since the 19th century, Norrkoping is consistently ranked as Sweden's second most important logistics hub. With its deep harbour and proximity to industrial zones, it is a principal gateway for consumer goods, paper, pulp, logs and sawn timber.

The only port in Sweden with a 350-tonne heavy lift crane, Norrköping serves as a hub for Siemens, ABB and logistics companies Bertling, DHL and DB Schenker. Within 160km from Sweden's most populated area, it is also a centre for containers, grains handling, fertilisers, petroleum and steel products, coal and other resources.

Slated for completion by next year, Norrkoping's cross-docking facility will reduce shipping time, transport and storage costs of shipping lines and freight forwarders alike. Guided by customer feedback and leveraging the port's long-established rail and road networks, NHS complements earlier investments made on warehouse and fairway capacities through the facility.

"We listen to what our customers need and want us to invest in," says Tomas Gustavsson, manager for production and sales at NHS. "We are investing for the future."

Norrkoping handles about 100,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container cargo annually, the bulk of which is either coming from or bound for Asia. NHS expects this volume to reach 300,000 TEUs by 2020. Sawn timber throughput should also increase to 1 million cubic metres within the period.