The Swedish Maritime Administration has been struggling with economic difficulties. Two out of five helicopter bases are being closed and the authority is reducing maintenance of navigational aids.
In a three-year plan, the Swedish Maritime Administration has set out requirements for increased funding – the government grants need to be increased by 250 million kronor annually.
The government is not meeting the requirements in full, instead proposing a grant of 71 million kronor for 2025.
This is the amount needed here and now to prevent the Swedish Maritime Administration from starting to dismantle its sea and air rescue services. This means that the two helicopter bases that were at risk of being shut down will not have to be closed, says Andreas Carlson.
Erik Eklund, Director-General of the Swedish Maritime Administration, says that the grant is welcome. At the same time, he emphasizes that it only covers a six-month period.
Right now, it's helping us a lot. But we also need to ensure that we have a good dialogue going forward for long-term funding, not just for the helicopters, says Eklund.
The remaining cuts within the authority, such as halving the number of sea measurements and mothballing an icebreaker, will be addressed in upcoming budget negotiations, according to Carlson.
It's important to ensure that the ability to save human lives is not weakened. But it's also crucial for the security policy situation to have a presence at sea, he says.
