The Swedish Rederi AB Gotland has received support from the country's Transport Administration to launch the route in question in order to unburden road traffic between southern Sweden and the Mälaren Valley (the Stockholm-Mälaren Region).

The aim is also to cut transport-related emissions. According to estimations, the sea service will help to cut the carbon footprint by around 20%.

Rederi AB Gotland also says the new route can be at times extended to Visby on the isle of Gotland.

"We would like to contribute to unburdening the road network and decreasing emissions from transport. As a first step, we are planning a freight line that will be used by logistics companies to reduce their footprint and together with us contribute to achieving both Sweden’s and EU’s climate goals,” Håkan Johansson, CEO, Rederi AB Gotland, said.

The Swedish Transport Administration has in total rewarded four road-to-sea-shift projects. Rederi AB Gotland will get SEK74.22m; IW Line Rederi AB - SEK 12.63m (for relieving road traffic between Kapellskär and Norrköping by setting up a ro-ro line for trailers between the two ports); Wallenius Marine AB - SEK6.59m (for putting in place a barge service that links Norvik with Västerås and Köping); and AB Flivik Shipping - SEK 1.05m (for shifting the transportation of woodchips between Kalmar and Copenhagen from road to sea).

Photo: Ports of Stockholm