The current industrial track from Pitholm to the port area at Haraholmen may be electrified. Work is underway to secure partial funding from the EU Structural Funds.
In late summer, the Port of Piteå applied for partial financing for this major project, which aims to make the current industrial track to Haraholmen more competitive. The project can be summarized as:
1 Railway electrification
2 New circular track (e.g. expansion of an additional track in addition to tracks 1, 2 and 3 outside magazine 8)
3 New terminal areas adjacent to the railway
4 Load-bearing reinforcement of the entire industrial track to “Swedish standard”
The project extends to the current crossing within the port area and is estimated to cost nearly SEK 60 million. Lars Wikström, infrastructure manager at Piteå Hamn AB, says, “Electrification means that today's diesel locomotives can be replaced with more cost- and environmentally efficient electric locomotives that are more numerous and can haul at least 20% more cargo at a lower cost for the transport buyer.”
Ulrika Nilsson, CEO of Piteå Hamn AB, concludes, "If everything goes smoothly, we will most likely see increased railway handling within the port area after the turn of the year 2014/2015."