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Port of Gothenburg challenges operators to back digital platforms
"We need a better culture of collaboration to encourage stakeholders to work towards a common goal,” said Port of Gothenburg manager Fredrik Rauer
Port of Gothenburg has developed digitalisation platforms to improve harbour operations and stakeholder co-ordination, and to reduce ship waiting time and emissions across its services.
It is using digital tools and software to share information between terminal operators, shipowners and agents, and providers of marine services, including tug operators and pilots for safe and efficient port calls.
“Our digital port call platform connects stakeholders and means all the partners involved have common situational awareness using a web application,” said Port of Gothenburg manager of port control at the harbour masters’ office, Fredrik Rauer.
Information covers a ship’s estimated arrival time (ETA), available time slots at terminals, pilotage and towage services, and cargo handling operations.
Mr Rauer said this shared information enables dependent parties, such as tug operators, pilots, and terminal owners, to address unforeseen issues, such as delays to arriving container ships.
“The digital platform has improved operations and made it easier for the detection of discrepancies,” he said at Riviera’s 28th International Tug & Salvage Convention, Exhibition & Awards being held in Gothenburg, Sweden, in association with Caterpillar, 19-21 May 2026.
Port of Gothenburg is expanding this digital tool by adding more operational data and using analytics, and engaging with more end users.
“Digitalisation is a great tool in creating common situational awareness, but we need a better culture of collaboration to encourage stakeholders to work towards a common goal,” said Mr Rauer.
Port of Gothenburg is also expanding its initiative to encourage just-in-time (JIT) port arrivals to lower the risk of lengthy delays at terminals and prevent ships from having to await outside the harbour for an available quayside slot.
This strategy started with JIT for product tankers waiting for a berth at the port’s energy terminal.
“A JIT slot time gives a good baseline for terminal and marine services, ensuring pilots and tugs are ready, and less waiting time for product tankers,” said Mr Rauer.
To be part of this initiative, shipping agents provide an ETA for a product tanker to a terminal.
If the terminal accepts this, then information is sent to the vessel, so it can adjust speed according to the new agreed ETA, and the vessel gets priority over other tankers and tugboats and pilots are prepared for its arrival.
Despite its benefits, of lower fuel consumption and emissions from the product tankers, and less waiting time outside of the port, only 10 tankers have used the JIT process in the past 12 months.
Mr Rauer put this down to operators, owners, and agents relying on old habits and charter contracts and not collaborating with terminals efficiently.
“We need more communications and collaborative approaches by stakeholders,” he said.
“If there is no engagement with users, then JIT will not be effective, and bottlenecks and delays will appear.”
Port of Gothenburg is working on a collaborative framework enabling operational personnel such as pilots, tug captains, linesmen, agents, cargo teams and bunkering providers to work together and engage with the Swedish maritime authority and port authority.
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