The port of Gothenburg and its president leave the posts | Gothenburg after

Magnus Kårestedt took office as CEO in 2003. He was CEO at a time when the port was much developed, including streamlining and investing in terms of dilemmas. At the same time, the turbulence has been sharp in recent years: the conflict between the employer APMT and Hammerbetarförbundet around the container port has clearly affected the operation of the port and its results in 2016 and 2017.

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"It's an odramatic decision, Magnus Kårestedt and I have had talks over the last year, he is still relatively young and he wants to invest more in the workforce," said Ulrica Messing, president of the port of Gothenburg.

"Over the last 15 years, the port has evolved a lot in terms of organizational changes and major investments.It's a good place to look for new leadership now, the person we recruit can devote all his energy to deepening of the trench of the ship.

Long to commute

Ulrica Messing also announced that she would not resign when a new board of directors was to be elected to the municipal corporation in March.

"We are now living in Kosta, being president in the port of Gothenburg has been extremely fun and the harbor is a fantastic transport hub, but the work requires presence and I want to evolve my travels," she says.

Magnus Kårestedt himself commented on his departure with the following.

– We had a discussion in the council for six months. After 15 years, it seems natural that our paths are separate – it's quite long. I feel I have accomplished a lot and I want to try new tasks. I am 57 years old and I can work between seven and eight years in a new mission. Whatever it is, I do not know it yet, but I'd like to work on change management, market development and sustainability – issues for which I've worked in the port from Gothenburg.

Big investments

He points out that during his tenure as general manager, he set up an extensive program of efficiency, privatized terminals operation and then the most important investment program of history of the port, namely eight billion.

Your departure is not related to the conflicts in the harbor?

– not at all. We discussed that I am looking for myself here. And it is now appropriate that a new council be appointed in March. The current council wants to manage the recruitment of my successor.

While container traffic experienced a dramatic loss last year, Magnus Kårestedt points out that 2018 will produce a significantly better result.

"We will achieve a record result for 2018 and volumes in the container port have become good again – they have increased by 20% over last year.

Magnus Kårestedt leaves the port on May 31, 2019 and the recruitment of the new CEO has begun.