The government states in a press release that they are now proceeding with the work to create new reserve port capacity on Gotland. The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) is tasked, together with the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket), the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten), and the Swedish Fortifications Agency (Fortifikationsverket), to initiate preliminary investigations regarding Kappelshamn.

– Gotland needs a functioning port in case something unforeseen happens, and currently, there is no sufficiently good alternative if the port of Visby is unavailable for any reason. The government therefore assesses that the work to create a reserve port needs to continue and that Kappelshamn is the best option to proceed with, says Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson.

– The population, businesses, and critical societal functions on Gotland depend on access to a functioning port. A reserve port is of great importance from a total defence perspective to ensure robustness and redundancy of an indispensable part of Swedish territory, says Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

The government assigns the Swedish Transport Administration to initiate preliminary investigations and studies so that a future reserve port for Visby can be established as soon as possible in Kappelshamn on Gotland.

The Swedish Transport Administration, in collaboration with the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Swedish Armed Forces, and the Swedish Fortifications Agency, will conduct relevant geotechnical investigations and hydrographic surveys in the fairway and port area.

In addition, the Swedish Transport Administration will assess what measures are required in the fairway and port area and calculate the costs for the continued work to establish a future reserve port at Kappelshamn.

In the press release, the government states that the population and businesses on Gotland, as well as critical societal functions connected to Gotland, currently rely on the availability of the port of Visby year-round. If the port of Visby cannot be accessed for any reason, there is currently no satisfactory alternative. This is, among other reasons, a limitation that the government considers unsatisfactory from a preparedness perspective.

The Swedish Transport Administration is to submit a report of cost estimates for the assessed measures in the fairway and port area to the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure by 25 June 2024. Furthermore, the Swedish Transport Administration is to submit a final report of the assignment by 15 November 2024 to the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure.