Sweden’s largest dredging project takes the next step
The Swedish Maritime Administration and the Port of Luleå have now awarded the dredging contract for the Malmporten Project. Malmporten Dredging Contractors has been selected as the contractor in the joint procurement process for the dredging works. The award means that Sweden’s largest dredging project is expected to continue in spring 2027.
The Malmporten Project comprises approximately 14 million cubic metres of dredged material in total.
– With a contractor now selected and an optimized fairway design in place, we have established a solid foundation for implementation. This gives us strong conditions to deliver the increased capacity that industry and the region need to support continued development and the green transition,” says Thomas Nord, Head of Unit at the Swedish Maritime Administration.
Following the cancellation of the previous procurement process in September 2025, the project has optimized its scope and fairway design and carried out a new procurement.
– The award of the dredging contract is a crucial step in developing the Port of Luleå to meet future demands. The increased capacity is important for the steel industry, the mining sector, and new industrial investments in northern Sweden. It provides long-term stability and confidence for our customers,” says Anders Dahl, CEO of the Port of Luleå.
The parties plan to sign the contract from 30 June 2026, provided that the award decision is not subject to legal review. The goal is for dredging operations to begin in spring 2027 and continue during the ice-free seasons of 2027–2029. The contract work is scheduled to be completed no later than 15 August 2030. The contract jointly signed by the Swedish Maritime Administration and the Port of Luleå has a total value of approximately SEK 5.7 billion.
About the Malmporten Project
The Malmporten Project is Sweden’s largest dredging project and will enable the Port of Luleå to receive vessels with a draught of up to 14.7 metres. This will improve the efficiency of transport flows from northern Sweden and reduce fuel consumption and emissions per tonne of cargo transported. Luleå has been designated by the European Union as a strategically prioritized port, and the project is co-financed through the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The project is a collaboration between the Port of Luleå Ltd., the Municipality of Luleå, the Swedish Maritime Administration, and the Swedish Transport Administration. The Port of Luleå and the Swedish Maritime Administration are responsible for implementing the project. The project has been approved by the Swedish Government and is included in the National Transport Infrastructure Plan 2018–2029.