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Swedish Government News

19 Oct 2023

Estonia to Probe Sweden Cable Damage as Part of Baltic Sea Incident Investigation

(Photo: Finnish Boarder Guard)

Estonia said on Thursday it would probe the damage on a Baltic Sea telecoms cable connecting the country to Sweden as part of its ongoing investigation about the rupture caused on another telecoms cable, connecting Tallinn with Helsinki.On Oct.8 a gas pipeline and telecoms cable connecting Finland and Estonia were broken, in what Finnish investigators believe may have been deliberate sabotage. Helsinki is investigating the pipeline incident, while Tallinn is probing the cable incident.On Tuesday…

07 Oct 2022

Nord Stream Probe Finds Evidence of Detonations, Swedish Police Say

©guteksk7/AdobeStock

A crime scene investigation of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines from Russia to Europe found evidence of detonations, strengthening suspicions of "gross sabotage", Sweden's Security Service said on Thursday. Swedish and Danish authorities have been investigating four leaks after the pipelines, which link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea and have become a flashpoint in the Ukraine crisis, were damaged at the start of last week. Europe, which used to rely on Russia for about 40% of its gas…

08 Sep 2022

Protestors Block Unloading of Russian LNG at Swedish Port

(Photo: Greenpeace)

Greenpeace said it prevented on Thursday a tanker from unloading Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Finnish state-owned Gasum's terminal in Nynashamn on Sweden's east coast.The environmental campaigning network in a statement called on the Swedish government to immediately stop the import of Russian fossil LNG.It said a Greenpeace vessel and activists in kayaks outside the loading dock had prevented the LNG tanker Coral Energy from docking, while other activists had climbed into the cranes used to unload the gas."The fact Russian fossil gas is still allowed to flow into Sweden…

10 Feb 2022

Furetank Inks Biogas Supply Deal

Fure Ven is one of the eight LBG/LNG powered sister vessels designed by Furetank designed for maximum climate and environmental efficiency. (Photo: Furetank)

Swedish shipping company Furetank announced it has signed a letter of intent with Eskilstuna Biogas, enabling the development of a new biogas plant producing around 5,000 tonnes of LBG annually.Furetank commits to buying at least 75% of the produced fuel for 10 years. The gas will be extracted from manure and food waste from the municipalities of Eskilstuna and Strängnäs. It is upgraded to a 100% waste-based, fossil-free and renewable biofuel, LBG.For Furetank, the move is a big step toward its switch from liquefied natural gas (LNG) to LBG as a marine fuel…

04 Feb 2021

Stena Line Plans to Launch 'Fossil-free' Ships Before 2030

Stena Line aims to launch a fully battery powered vessel before 2030. Stena Elektra is a lightweight battery powered vessel with capacity to run approximately 50 nautical miles on batteries only, i.e. between Gothenburg or Fredrikshaven. (Image: Peter Mild / Stena Line)

Swedish ferry company Stena Line said it plans to put two battery-powered vessels into service by 2030. The new RoPax ferries, which will operate without the use of fossil fuels, are part of the company's wider effort to reduce its environmental footprint.The news was revealed in Gothenburg on Thursday by Stena Lines CEO Niclas Mårtensson during a press conference announcing the Tranzero Initiative, a collaborative project aiming to accelerate the transition to fossil-free fuels in the transport sector.

12 Sep 2018

Environmentalists File Second Complaint to Block Nord Stream 2

Photo courtesy of Nord Stream 2

Environmental campaign group ClientEarth has filed a complaint with a court in Sweden to block the construction through Swedish waters of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline intended to transport Russian gas to Germany, it said on Wednesday.Sweden approved the pipeline in June, but ClientEarth's complaint argues that the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation failed to consider the impact the project would have on wildlife in the Baltic Sea.The work involves detonating World…

01 Jun 2018

Methanol as an Alternative Fuel for Vessels

The Methanol Institute welcomed the findings of the Sustainable Marine Methanol (SUMMETH) project, which has backed the increased use of Methanol as a marine fuel. The research concluded that there are no obstacles to the efficient use of Methanol in a converted diesel engine and that smaller vessel conversion projects are feasible and cost-effective, with levels of safety that easily meet existing requirements. Switching to Methanol would offer immediate environmental benefits, including close to zero SOx and particulate matter emissions and significantly lower NOx emissions compared to conventional marine fuels or biodiesel. Joanne Ellis…

05 Nov 2017

Record-Low Volume Figures Continue Gothenburg Port

Container volumes at the Port of Gothenburg remain at historically low levels. Q3 figures show a fall of 28 per cent compared with the same period last year, even though the port has been free of industrial action and labour disputes. In contrast, other freight categories are doing well. Earlier this year, volume statistics for the first six months of 2017 clearly showed how the conflict between the Dockworkers’ Union and APM Terminals Gothenburg impacted negatively on container trade. At that point, volumes were down 22 per cent, the biggest fall in the history of the port. Even though there was no industrial action at the port during the third quarter…

15 Sep 2017

More Cars Shipped Via The Port Of Gothenburg

During the first quarter of the year, new car exports and imports passing through the Port of Gothenburg rose by 12 per cent compared with the first quarter of 2016. The Port of Gothenburg became the number one vehicle handling port in Scandinavia, due largely to the rise in imports. The number of cars exported and imported through the Port of Gothenburg has grown steadily since 2012 and the trend appears to be holding. According to new figures released by the Swedish government agency Transport Analysis and the industry and employers’ organisation Ports of Sweden, 67,682 cars passed through the Port of Gothenburg during the first quarter of the year. This represents an increase of 12 per cent on the first quarter of 2016.

09 Feb 2016

Delegation Targets ScanMed Corridor Efficiency

Map depicting the TEN-T Core Network Corridor. The Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor is in pink. (Image: European Commission)

Discussions surrounding future transport systems were in focus when Pat Cox, European Coordinator for the ScanMed Core Network Corridor, visited Copenhagen Malmö Port on Monday. Together with the CEOs of 25 core European ports, Pat Cox organized a wide-ranging workshop, a so-called ScanMed Ideas Laboratory, with a primary purpose of highlighting good examples and exchanging experiences between the ports to develop a more effective and sustainable transport corridor. “The ScanMed Corridor…

21 Dec 2015

Swedish Shipping Joins Fossil Free Initiative

The Swedish Shipowners Association has expressed its disappointment that shipping was not included in the new climate agreement that was struck in Paris by countries represented at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They believe that delegates in Paris failed to seize the moment to make a direct statement to the shipping industry about its commitments, and that more needs to be done to tackle the climate challenge. The Swedish shipping industry has one of the best track records of positive involvement in the development of innovative environmental solutions, and this will continue despite the Paris Agreement lacking a direct mention of shipping.

08 Sep 2015

Sweden Proposes Tonnage Tax

The Swedish government has proposed a Swedish tonnage tax system. The aim is for Swedish shipping companies to compete under equal conditions with companies in other countries in Europe. At Donsö Shipping Meet 2015, the Minister for Infrastructure Anna Johansson presented the government's maritime strategy. At the same time, she revealed that a Swedish tonnage tax will be introduced in summer 2016. Tonnage tax means that Swedish shipping companies will operate under competitive conditions similar to companies in other countries in Europe.... Swedish ships have been registered under flags of convenience for many years. Last year, the Swedish merchant fleet decreased by a further six ships, making 320 in all.

20 Mar 2015

It's Official: Sweden Boosts Submarine Fleet

Sweden has given a long-awaited green light to the planned procurement of two new-generation A26 submarines from Saab Kockums. Sweden's official announcement ordering two new submarines to boost its armed forces, months after a futile hunt for a suspected Russian mini-sub in the Stockholm archipelago. A statement released by the defence minister's office on 19 March said that the A26 order will secure Sweden's submarine capability beyond 2030. The subs are also set to be delivered by 2022 at the latest. "The order... will ensure Sweden's underwater capacity beyond 2030," Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist said in a statement. "Underwater capacity is a central part of Sweden's defence in peace time, as well as during emergencies and war," the ministry added.

18 Mar 2015

Sweden Orders New Submarines

Sweden is to buy two new submarines from constructors Saab Kockums. The A26 subs are to be delivered by 2022 and will cost up to SEK 8.2 billion ($945 million). "This is the biggest single decision when it comes to economic investments that we will make during this parliament. The decision, to be formally made by the cabinet on Thursday, is to ensure Swedish submarine capability past 2030", stated Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist. "These are the next generation of submarine. These submarines will be very hi-tech", he added. The government will on Thursday authorize the armed forces to order two submarines, defense ministry spokeswoman Marinette Nyh Radebo said.

16 Dec 2014

Dutch Container Terminal Signs on for Wind Power

Photo: APM Terminals

APM Terminals has signed a two-year, €5 million ($6.23 million) contract with Amsterdam-based NV Nuon Energy for the supply of environmentally-sustainable wind-generated electricity to power the new APM Terminals Maasvlakte II cranes and container handling equipment. The new 2.7 million TEU annual capacity deepwater terminal, scheduled to receive its first commercial vessel call later this month, will reportedly be the world’s first container terminal with zero emissions on site and off site. The contract term begins January 1, 2015.

05 Dec 2014

AHTS Proves Strength on (in & through) Ice

Brage Viking: Zamakona built, Caterpillar MaK powered, Ice capable

While the large oceangoing variety of ships garners the lion’s share of attention in regards to Arctic operations, modern offshore vessels that will be required to support potential oil and gas business in the region are equally vital. Viking Supply Ships recently carried out full scale ice trials in the Gulf of Bothnia on the Brage Viking, an 85m long anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) type offshore support vessel delivered  from Zamakona shipyard in Spain two years ago. The AHTS was built to Finnish-Swedish ice class 1A standards and is powered by a pair of MaK 8M32C 4…

30 Aug 2014

Skangass Granted Permission for LNG Terminal

The Swedish Government (Länsstyrelsen in Dalarnas Län) has granted Skangass permission to build and operate a new Terminal for LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) within the harbour in Gävle, Sweden. Skangass aims at starting the construction work during 2015. The permission is given for a storing capacity of 30 000 m3 LNG and a handling of up to 500 000 tonnes LNG each year. The planned LNG terminal is an important part of the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Sweden and the Baltic Sea. The environmental advantages of using LNG instead of oil based fuel within shipping, industry and heavy transportation are substantial. Sulphur and particle emissions are reduced to almost zero, nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission is reduced by 85-90 per cent and the carbon dioxide (CO2) is reduced by 25 per cent.

09 Apr 2008

Nord Stream Withdraw to Build Service Platform

Nord Stream AG has withdrawn the conditional application to the Swedish government to build a service platform off the coast of . Using advanced technology, the consortium now plans to build its pipeline across the without such a platform. Reflecting these plans and responding to Swedish Government requests, Nord Stream is supplementing the documentation accompanying its application to build the pipeline through Swedish waters. In December 2007, Nord Stream submitted a conditional application to build a service platform northeast of the in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Since submitting this application, Nord Stream has continued to seek maintenance solutions for the pipeline without building an intermediate service platform.

22 Aug 2000

Divers Begin Investigation of Estonia Wreck

Brushing aside complaints from Nordic states that declared it a burial site, U.S.-led divers last week began investigating the wreck of the ferry Estonia, which sank in the Baltic in 1994 with the loss of 852 lives. Finnish and Swedish authorities failed to stop the controversial expedition led by U.S. businessman Gregg Bemis, who wants to check reports the Estonia might have been damaged by a bomb blast before it sank in a storm while en route from Tallinn to Stockholm. Finnish investigators insist that a faulty bow door rather than a bomb caused the ferry to sink in Europe's worst maritime disaster since World War Two. The 15,600-ton passenger and car ferry lies on its side at a depth of 180-270 ft. about 60 miles off the southwest coast of Finland.

22 Oct 2002

Northrop Grumman and Kockum/ HDW Partner Up

Northrop Grumman Corporation has signed a cooperative agreement with Kockums AB and its parent company, Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG (HDW), under which Kockums will join a team assembled by Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems sector to compete for the U.S. Navy's Focused Mission Vessel Study. This study is expected to result in the development and construction of a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), one element of the DD(X) family of surface combatants planned for construction by the Navy during the next quarter century. HDW covers business opportunities for the design, development, construction and sale of Visby-class ships and/or derivative technology to the U.S. government for the LCS and other U.S.