During his first visit to Skåne since the Government took office, the Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, Mikael Damberg, met the management of Copenhagen Malmö Port AB (CMP) on Monday.
“We are very happy that Mikael Damberg prioritised a visit to CMP, showing an interest in the company’s extensive investments in new workplaces and environmentally friendly transport solutions,” says Johan Röstin, CMP’s CEO.
At the meeting, Johan Röstin presented CMP’s long-term future plans for the port areas on both the Swedish and the Danish sides. Röstin emphasised that investments in infrastructure, particularly on land through better rail connections to the ports, are a precondition for shipping constituting a major part of the transport system in the long term. In concrete terms, this involves linking the port in Malmö with the major rail freight transport routes, as well as upgrading the rail capacity over the Öresund Bridge.
“The meeting with Mikael Damberg was rewarding. I hope that he takes away with him the opportunities offered by shipping and the ports in the creation of a sustainable transport system. We obviously hope that the new Government will take the initiative and instigate the necessary upgrading of the railway, so that CMP can contribute even more both to the environment and to better conditions for business,” says Johan Röstin.
The EU countries have a total of 1,800 commercial ports. Of these, the EU has classified 80 as Core Ports that are particularly important for economic growth. CMP is one of five Core Ports in Sweden. During the meeting, Johan Röstin stressed that strengthening the competitiveness of these ports is very important for the Swedish economy. As a result, it is natural to prioritise infrastructure investments in relation to the ports.
“The Oresund Region is an important hub for economic activity in Sweden. Companies like CMP are contributing to a closer economic integration between Denmark and Sweden. Also, CMP is a important hub for freight transport in northern Europe. A central factor in developing a sustainable and efficient transportation system is good conditions for shipping, especially when it is linked with the railway system, say´s Mikael Damberg, minister for enterprise and innovation.