The Swedish Maritime Administration is cutting down and closing two helicopter bases
The menu consists of budget cuts at Sweden’s counterpart to the Maritime Authority, Sjöfartsverket.
The agency will close two out of five helicopter bases in Sweden, take an icebreaker out of service, and sell a hydrographic survey vessel and a maintenance vessel.
This is reported by the Swedish shipping magazine Sjöfartstidningen.
Additionally, the agency must reduce its administrative costs by 40 million Swedish kronor.
The goal is to achieve a break-even result by 2026.
- We have tried to find measures that are as gentle as possible, says Erik Eklund, Director General of Sjöfartsverket.
Erik Eklund emphasizes that the decision to close two helicopter bases and take an icebreaker out of service was not made lightly.
- We have carefully considered all options and chosen the measures that will have the least impact on our ability to maintain safety, he says.
The two helicopter bases being closed are strategically located along Sweden's coastline and have played an important role in rescue operations.
The closure will require a restructuring of rescue operations and increased reliance on the remaining three bases.
- Our task now is to ensure that our rescue operations can still be carried out efficiently, Eklund assures.
The icebreaker being taken out of service has previously been an important part of Sweden’s winter preparedness.
- We will still have sufficient icebreaking capacity to ensure that shipping can continue uninterrupted, says Eklund.
The sale of the hydrographic survey vessel and maintenance vessel is also part of the savings. These vessels have been crucial in maintaining and updating nautical charts.
- We must still be able to maintain our high standards for hydrographic surveying and maintenance, Eklund reassures.
The reduction in administrative costs will require changes in how Sjöfartsverket operates. “We will review all our processes and find ways to become more efficient,” says Eklund.
