Last year, the authority went back 600 million kronor after financial net and now the costume is being severely trimmed to clear this year's budget.
The closure of two helicopter bases reduces Sweden's preparedness and affects both defense and sea and air rescue.
It's quite drastic to go from five to three bases. What will be affected the fastest is the Swedish Armed Forces' flying. We should always be ready when they are up and flying, both during exercises and in real situations, says Erik Eklund to TT.
What does this mean?
The Swedish Armed Forces will have to reduce their flying.
"Very hard"
Besides the closed bases, the Swedish Maritime Administration is taking one of six icebreakers out of service and reducing maintenance on shipping lanes. This can have major consequences for industry and commerce since shipping transports nine out of ten goods in Swedish imports and exports.
It may be that we close some harbor and then it will affect commerce very hard. It's clear that it will have a significant economic impact on industry.
Which airbases will be closed and which vessels will be taken out of service is something the authority is currently reviewing. The Swedish Maritime Administration is also cutting back on administration by 40 million - equivalent to every tenth position.
According to Erik Eklund, the situation has arisen due to several reasons. Partly, the Swedish Maritime Administration is underfinanced, and the state's grants have not been written up with inflation. Partly, the fees coming in from shipping, which finance 70 percent of the operations, have decreased significantly during the pandemic and then Russia's war in Ukraine.
Whose fault is it that it has become like this?
I don't find reason to point backwards, but look forward, says Erik Eklund.
Requires billions
The Swedish Maritime Administration's measures are presented in a three-year plan that will be officially submitted to the government no later than March 1. In it, the authority is also making several demands for increased financing.
They want the state grants to be increased by 250 million kronor annually and indexed to match inflation. They also want to be able to raise fees by 250 million kronor per year. In addition, the Swedish Maritime Administration is demanding 3 percent - 35 billion kronor - from the national infrastructure plan over a ten-year period for larger projects such as replacing old vessels and the icebreaker fleet or dredging for the green transition in the north. This also includes the state taking the cost of icebreaking - just like it takes the costs of snow removal on roads and railways.
What happens if you don't get what you're asking for?
Then we will probably get an economy in balance, but not quite have the muscles to renew the operations as required.
And what does that mean?
Greater and greater maintenance debt and that we will be forced to take other measures further ahead.
Corrected: In an earlier version of the text, there was an incorrect description of the number of icebreakers.
The Swedish Maritime Administration is making several drastic cuts:
Two of the Swedish Maritime Administration's five helicopter bases are being taken out of service.
One of six icebreakers is being taken out of service.
Several vessels are being sold, which will halve the possibility of heavy fairway maintenance. The sea measurement, i.e., the measurement of the sea floor's topography, is also being halved.
The administration of the authority is being cut back by 40 million kronor, equivalent to every tenth position.
There has previously been a hiring freeze at the authority, which has already cut back on, for example, Christmas celebrations and its travel budget.
Total savings are estimated to amount to over 200 million kronor per year.
The Swedish Maritime Administration is located at 52 locations in Sweden and has around 1,700 employees.
Source: Swedish Maritime Administration
