Clear trends and new opportunities for the logistics year 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, APM Terminals is reflecting on a year filled with milestones and progress. One of the standout trends has been the resurgence of import volumes, with Sweden’s major ports further solidifying their key roles in global trade. A highlight worth celebrating is that bookings for freight transport via the new alliances with APM Terminals are now open, offering more opportunities for seamless and efficient logistics solutions.

After years of an export-dominated market, 2024 has marked a turning point for Swedish trade. The recovering economy has driven a substantial rise in import volumes, with APM Terminals reporting a 19% growth in the second half of the year compared to the same period in 2023.

"We’re now seeing the highest import volumes since the 'Covid boom.' This improved balance between imports and exports is a win for both cargo owners and shipping lines. When shipping lines can avoid repositioning empty containers, it translates into significant cost savings," says Per Wahlström, Market Analyst at APM Terminals.

Large ports and bigger ships are shaping the logistics of the future

Statistics from Ports of Sweden show that the larger ports are continuing to gain market share, while smaller ports are losing volumes. According to Per Wahlström, this trend will accelerate as new, larger container ships are being put into service on lines to northern Europe.

'Orders for larger vessels are increasing, and we can see in the shipping companies’ order books that most of the vessels ordered have a capacity of 5,000 TEU or more', says Per Wahlström.

This development is also reflected in APM Terminals' volumes for 2024. Despite the fact that the terminal received 20 fewer port visits compared to 2023, 6,500 more TEUs were handled.

'Bigger vessels put greater demands on infrastructure. Operating the ports of the future will be increasingly costly, and investments in increased capacity and deeper channels will be crucial to meet these growing needs', Per Wahlström concludes.

Bookings for 2025 have opened

Starting at the beginning of 2025, the new alliances will set sail on the world’s oceans. For APM Terminal’s customers, this means an even wider range of competitive logistics solutions - from all across Sweden to the global market. Bookings are already open and we're looking forward to continuing to strengthen our customers’ supply chains in the coming year.