The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA), responsible for maritime safety and icebreaking in Sweden, is implementing significant cost reductions, including the closure of two of its five helicopter bases, as stated by Director General Erik Eklund in an interview with TT news agency.
The decision, effective immediately, addresses a current budget shortfall, with Eklund noting, “The current budget deficit means that two of five helicopter bases will close, one of six icebreakers will be taken out of service, and maintenance on maritime routes will be reduced.”
The closures affect bases critical for search-and-rescue operations, environmental monitoring, and icebreaking support in the Baltic Sea, where icebreaking services are vital for up to 130 days annually.
SMA operates a fleet of six icebreakers, but one will now be decommissioned, reducing operational capacity. Maintenance cuts on maritime routes, including those in the Gulf of Bothnia, could impact navigation safety, particularly during winter, as reported by the agency.
The budget shortfall stems from a 15% reduction in government funding for 2025, totaling a SEK 150 million ($14.3 million) cut, amid broader defense and infrastructure spending priorities in Sweden.
The Swedish government’s 2025 budget, announced in October 2024, prioritizes NATO-related defense costs following Sweden’s NATO accession in March 2024, reducing funds for non-military agencies like SMA.
SMA’s helicopter bases, located in Gothenburg, Stockholm, Luleå, Visby, and Umeå, support operations covering 3.2 million square kilometers of Sweden’s maritime areas. The closure of two bases—yet to be specified—could reduce response times for emergencies, such as the 2021 collision between the Danish dry bulk carrier Karin Høj and the British cargo ship Scot Carrier in the Baltic Sea, where helicopters played a key role in search efforts.
The reduction to five icebreakers could strain operations during harsh winters, potentially affecting Sweden’s 90% sea-based import-export trade.