Gothenburg Port Authority names new CEO

The Gothenburg Port Authority has appointed a new CEO. Göran Eriksson will succeed the current CEO, Elvir Dzanic, and assume his role on August 7th.

Currently, Göran serves as the CEO of the GAC Group’s company in India. He has been employed in multiple positions within the GAC Group since 2012 and possesses extensive experience in international competition within the maritime and logistics sectors.

“We are pleased to announce that the board has decided to appoint Göran Eriksson as the new CEO of the Gothenburg Port Authority. Göran is a person with clear leadership qualities, yet open and collaborative in his interactions with staff and the board. He is highly motivated to undertake the task of strengthening and developing the port internationally, particularly regarding the transition to new fuels in energy conversion,” says Lars Johansson, Chairman of the Board for the Gothenburg Port Authority.

“I feel honored to have gained the board’s confidence to lead the ongoing development of the Port of Gothenburg as CEO. We are facing significant challenges, particularly the green transition and future energy supply. I am enthusiastic about the task and firmly believe that continued collaboration among all stakeholders in the business community is essential for a rapid transition to sustainable and efficient transportation systems,” says Eriksson.

Eriksson will assume the post from Elvir Dzanic, the current CEO of Göteborgs Hamn AB, who has taken up the CEO role at WALLENIUS SOL.

The Port of Gothenburg has been very active on the decarbonization front, seeking to become a hub for alternative fuels for the maritime industry.

The Port of Gothenburg is collaborating with ferry operators Stena Line and DFDS, as well as energy companies Ørsted and Liquid Wind, to establish an e-fuels hub. This partnership aims to facilitate the use of e-fuels and contribute to the transition to greener shipping practices.

Furthermore, the Port of Gothenburg has established a collaborative effort with the Belgian North Sea Port to create a green corridor. The objective of this initiative is to enable the use of alternative fuels for seagoing vessels by the year 2025, further emphasizing the port’s dedication to promoting the adoption of sustainable fuels within the maritime sector.

Swedish Gothenburg Port Authority has published general methanol operating regulations for ship-to-ship bunkering and is making arrangements to set up a value chain with the ambition to become the primary bunkering hub for renewable methanol in Northern Europe.

Additionally, Inter Terminals Sweden (ITS), part of Inter Terminals, one of the largest independent bulk liquid storage providers in northern Europe, is collaborating with the Port of Gothenburg to introduce methanol bunkering services in the port by the end of 2023.

ITS revealed that preparations are ongoing to rebuild some of the tanks and the related infrastructure to enable the bunkering of methanol in the port. Meanwhile, the Port of Gothenburg has worked intensively to develop a regulatory framework for methanol bunkering as part of its strategy to become Northern Europe’s primary hub for bunkering and storage of methanol.

By 2030, the Port of Gothenburg has set out an ambitious target to reduce shipping emissions by 70% within the port area.