Dutch duo lands Sweden’s largest dredging contract

Boskalis and Van Oord have secured Sweden's largest-ever dredging contract. The SEK 5.7 billion deal covers 14 million cubic metres of works at the Port of Luleå and is set to be completed by 2030.

Malmporten Dredging Contractors, a joint venture between Dutch specialists Boskalis and Van Oord, has been awarded the contract for Sweden’s largest dredging project. The contract, worth SEK 5.7 billion, covers 14 million cubic metres of dredging works at the Port of Luleå.

The award follows a failed procurement process that was called off in September last year. Since then, the Swedish Maritime Administration and the Port of Luleå have revised both the scope and the fairway design before relaunching the tender.

– With a contractor in place and an optimised fairway design, we now have a solid foundation for delivery. This gives us good conditions to provide the capacity increase that industry and the region need, says Thomas Nord, unit manager at the Swedish Maritime Administration.

The contract is set to be signed from 30 June. Dredging works will begin in spring next year and continue during ice-free seasons between 2027 and 2029, with the full contract to be completed by 15 August 2030.

– The award is a decisive step in developing the Port of Luleå for future needs. The increased capacity is vital for the steel industry, the mining sector and new industrial establishments in northern Sweden, says Anders Dahl, CEO of the Port of Luleå.