The latest from the Environment Court negotiations

During two days, at the beginning of December, Port of Södertälje's main hearing at the Environment Superior Court was handled. Soon the result of three years of intensive work for an enhanced permit for the handling of fuel will be made known.

The application regards a permit to increase the handling of fuel from today's 1,2 million tons to 2,2 million tons. The preparations for this have been both long and comprehensive. The process of the application has involved lengthy consultations, risk analyses, sea measurements and vessel simulations etcetera. Larger volumes also equates to larger ships and therefore the port's basin must be dredged in order to accommodate these vessels.

The court was presented with a carefully and very well prepared report. The hard facts and planning have been keenly studied by all partners to ensure a complete understanding and approval of how dredging will be undertaken and what it involves to the environment. With a positive ruling from the court would oblige Port of Södertälje to take charge of polluted dredged volumes, in excess of 12 000 tons, and transport this waste to an accredited facility. Clean dredger waste will be buried in oxygen-neutral sink holes, holes that can be easily oxygenated in the future if needed.

- The bottom of Igelsta bay is polluted from industries in the past that emptied sewage directly into the sea, says Tomas Zackrisson, Port of Södertälje's permit application project leader. What we are proposing is a major environmental improvement for the area. The bottom of Igelsta bay will be cleared of 300 kilos of copper, 15 kilos of mercury and 0,8 kilos of tributyltin.

The Environment Superior Court will announce their decision on the 8th of February 2016. Reconstruction of the oil terminal can start in 2017, at the earliest.