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FOREIGN TRADE ZONES
THE FREE PORT OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
[From Consul General John Ball Osborne, Stockholm, Sweden]
History of the Stockholm free port—The free port statute, passed by
the Riksdag in 1907, authorized the establishing in Sweden of customs:
free harbors. Although the plan to establish a free port in Stockholm
originated many years ago, no action was taken in the matter until
1916, when a committee was appointed by the City Council of Stock-
holm to investigate the question and prepare plans for the construction
of the harbor. The recommendations of the committee were adopted
the following year, when it was also decided that a temporary harbor
should be constructed adjacent to the permanent harbor. This
temporary harbor was opened for use in 1919 and, after having been
repeatedly extended and improved, it was incorporated with the
permanent harbor, which was completed on September 27, 1926.
Description of the port.—The Stockholm free port, which is stated
to be one of the most modern and best equipped in the world, is
located at Lindarangen, about 2 miles east-northeast of the center
of the city and about 1 mile from its eastern outskirts.
The total area of the free port zone, including the harbor, is 504,000
square meters (about 5,500,000 square feet), and the area of the
ground is 282,000 square meters (about 3,000,000 square feet).
The quays have a total length of 1,215 meters (about 4,000 feet),
with a depth in most parts of 10 meters (about 33 feet) alongside.
They are built of cement reenforced with steel pilings, surfaced with
paving blocks and macadam, and are built to bear 3 tons per square
meter. The cost of construction is stated to have been 8,000,000
crowns ($2,144,000).
The free port has several gantry cranes of 214 to 5 tons capacity,
8 bridge cranes of 5 tons capacity, and 8 double bridge cranes. The
latter have two sets of machinery and can be used for vessels berthed
at the quay in double rows for discharging from one to the other.
There are three warehouses in the Stockholm free port—two large
new ones on the northern pier and an older one a short distance
away. They are all built of concrete, with special fireproof divi-
sions, and are fitted for the storage of different kinds of goods,
including perishables. They are divided into large storage rooms
and a number of small separate rooms which are rented to various
firms for storage of their goods.
Warehouse No. 1 (the oldest) measures 8 by 45 meters (262 by 148
feet) and has three floors of a total area of 8,000 square meters
(86,000 square feet). Warehouse No. 2 measures 80 by 36.4 meters
(262 by 119 feet) and has four floors with a total area of 9,000 square
meters (97,000 square feet). The third warehouse, which is the most
recent and contains the offices of the harbor and of other concerns,
is 80 meters long (262 feet) and has a minimum breadth of 55 meters
(180 feet). It has six floors, including the cellar, with a total ares of
