Simplified chartering and chartering out of ships
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns simplifying the chartering in and out of ships through a bareboat register to strengthen Swedish shipping and competitiveness. SD welcomes the reform which gives shipping companies better opportunities to charter in and out vessels, as well as that the stamp duty on mortgage has been removed 1. M argues that the government is delivering a bareboat register to increase business flexibility and strengthen the competitive situation, which makes it easier for ships to flag home 2. L wants to strengthen the conditions for a large fleet of ships and emphasizes that the reform facilitates financing and joint venture projects 3. KD considers that the legislative changes reduce red tape and provide companies with more stable conditions 4.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Sara-Lena Bjälkö (SD)
Mr. Speaker! Today we take an important step forward for Swedish shipping. It is with pride that I state that the Sweden Democrats' influence in the government cooperation has contributed to a reform that strengthens both Sweden's competitiveness and our control over maritime safety.
Mr. Speaker! We have long maintained the line that Sweden needs modern, robust and purposeful regulations for shipping, which give companies the opportunity to grow without compromising on legal certainty, responsibility or safety at sea.
Therefore, we welcome that the Riksdag is today considering the Committee on Transport's report TU2, and I hereby motion for approval of the committee's proposal in its entirety.
This is a well-balanced and necessary modernization. It gives Swedish shipping companies improved opportunities to charter foreign vessels but also to charter out Swedish vessels to foreign actors through a so-called ship lease or bareboat charter.
Introducing a specific ship's registry in the ship register is a wise decision. It increases transparency, clarifies responsibility, and strengthens the control over which ships actually operate under the Swedish flag.
Mr. Speaker! We are also very positive that the stamp duty on mortgages in ships has been removed. It was a concrete measure that has now made it easier for shipping companies to finance and register their ships in Sweden. It is an improvement that strengthens Swedish shipping and which is a direct result of the cooperation that we Sweden Democrats are a part of.
Mr. Speaker! It is important to emphasize that legislation is not an end in itself. It is a tool, a first step. Then we must follow up, evaluate, and adjust if necessary. Reforms must never occur at the expense of maritime safety or Swedish interests.
Shipping is one of the pillars of our country. It is crucial for our trade, our business life, and our preparedness. Modernizing the regulations is therefore not only long-awaited, but it is necessary. But it must happen with deliberation and responsibility.
We Sweden Democrats have been clear in the negotiations. We support reforms that strengthen Swedish shipping. But I want, Mr. Speaker, to particularly highlight four principles that have been crucial for our support.
Firstly, the Swedish influence must be real, not symbolic. Ships under the Swedish flag shall have an actual presence and be under the control of Swedish authorities.
Secondly, maritime safety is fundamental. Swedish waters must never become a haven for substandard vessels or unserious actors.
Thirdly, the working conditions shall be Swedish. The Swedish labor market model shall also apply at sea with fair conditions and a safe working environment.
For the fourth, competition must be fair. Serious Swedish shipping companies shall not be disadvantaged in favor of arrangements based on lower standards or a lack of accountability.
Mr. Speaker! This is a reform that we Sweden Democrats are proud of. It shows that it is possible to combine modernization with order and discipline and that one can strengthen Swedish shipping without compromising on safety or Swedish control. We will follow the implementation closely, just as we always do. For us, it is crucial that the rules work in practice, that maritime safety is maintained and that Swedish shipping companies receive the long-term and fair conditions they deserve.
Mr. Speaker! Sweden shall be a strong maritime nation. This is a step in the right direction – a step we have taken together but with a clear Sweden Democrat imprint.
Johanna Rantsi (M)
Mr. Speaker! Today we are debating a so-called bareboat register for shipping. It has been processed for a long time. Already in 1987 – that was before I was born – a bareboat register was proposed. However, the proposal did not lead to any legislation under the then social democratic government.
On 20 January 2014, under the Moderate-led government, an inquiry into regulatory simplifications within shipping was commissioned. It did not become a ship's legacy, however, when it was presented in 2015 to the Social Democratic government of Löfven, which had taken office.
Now, in 2025, we are finally here. The Moderate-led government believes in a competitive Swedish shipping industry and delivers a bareboat register for more Swedish-flagged vessels. When the Kristersson government took office, we had for many years seen more and more vessels flagging out and fewer and fewer vessels flagging home. The number of Swedish-flagged vessels decreased at a rapid pace. The Social Democratic government stood by and watched, and the industry spoke to deaf ears. The government at that time said that shipping was important but did nothing to show it.
When the current, shipping-friendly government took office, we did what we have said for many years, because we keep our promises and see the importance of Swedish shipping. We deliver what we promised the shipping industry: an abolished stamp tax, a reformed tonnage tax system, and a bareboat register.
Mr. Speaker! We are already seeing results of this. More ships choose to flag home – to flag with the Swedish flag. This is important for Sweden's defense capability, economy and business, among many other things.
Today we are discussing a bareboat register. It will facilitate things for Swedish shipping companies. It will increase business flexibility and make it easier for the shipping companies to adapt their operations to the current market. The establishment of the register is also judged to be able to strengthen the Swedish shipping companies' competitive position against the countries that have already introduced such a register. It also clarifies the responsibility for supervision of maritime safety and working environment issues, which is very important.
Mr. Speaker! Shipping is crucial for a functioning Sweden. Shipping is Sweden's lifeblood. Now we are giving more ships the opportunity to fly the Swedish flag. With that, I move for the approval of the proposal in the report.
Helena Gellerman (L)
Mr. Speaker! Today we shall debate the simplified chartering of ships. The importance of shipping for Swedish companies and Swedish food supply and preparedness means that we Liberals want to strengthen the conditions so that Sweden will once again have a large registered fleet of ships.
Sweden has large raw material resources and world-leading companies that export the majority of their production to all continents, while goods that we Swedes use every day are imported. Shipping accounts for 90 percent of our exports abroad. Thus, it is very important for Sweden's companies, welfare, and jobs. The war in Ukraine has simultaneously shown that we must strengthen Swedish shipping, both with Swedish-registered ships and with Swedish seafarers, in order to strengthen the preparedness.
Mr. Speaker! The Liberals, with coalition partners, have listened to what the industry has put forward for many years, namely that it does not work to have a radically different legislation and other rules in Sweden than in our neighboring countries. The previous Social Democratic government has also heard this but has not acted on it. With the current government, it has finally made a difference. The number of registered vessels is increasing.
We have removed the stamp duty for new vessels, and this applies from July 1 of this year. In addition to the pure cost, the stamp duty also had a negative impact on the development of climate-friendly shipping. In connection with the decision in the Riksdag, we received direct feedback through Stena's flagging of several vessels.
The government is working on a new tonnage tax system that will reduce the cost gap to our neighboring countries and allow more types of ships into the system. In the budget for 2026, there is more money for Sjöfartsverket for work on how to avoid data not linked to merchant ships burdening the fairway charges. In the proposal for the infrastructure plan, there is also money for an additional icebreaker.
All these positive signals also contribute to a strong increase in the number of students seeking out maritime training, not least at Chalmers.
Mr. Speaker! Following these many positive signals, we now present an additional measure to stimulate the flagging of more Swedish vessels.
The shipping companies' needs for ships that can transport goods across the sea vary over time. The bill aims to simplify the shipping companies' possibilities for the leasing and hiring of ships. The purpose is to facilitate for Swedish shipping companies to adapt their operations to current market conditions. They shall be able to organize their operations in a rational way and participate in joint venture projects with foreign shipping companies. Additionally, the purpose is to facilitate the financing of new ships.
When chartering a foreign ship that is primarily operated unmanned and is to be considered Swedish temporarily and be entitled to fly the Swedish flag. In order for this to be possible, it is necessary that we add a part to the ship register called ship's lease. With ship's lease, the ship can be registered in two countries simultaneously: in the owner's home country and temporarily in the country it is chartered to. In that case, the flag is also changed.
Ownership-related issues, such as registration of ownership, mortgages and pledges, are still governed by the original owner country, while issues regarding the ship's operation, manning, working environment, maritime safety and so on are governed by the country to which it is chartered. In the same way, Swedish unmanned vessels shall be able to be chartered out abroad and thereby change from the Swedish flag. Transportstyrelsen's supervisory responsibility then passes to the new country.
Mr. Speaker! With this very positive proposal, we take another step towards making Sweden even more attractive for the flagging of ships. At the same time, we facilitate for shipping companies to conduct a rational economic activity.
Cecilia Engström (KD)
Mr. Speaker! In the bill that we are considering today, the government proposes legislative changes to simplify the leasing and chartering of ships in order to facilitate for Swedish shipping companies to adapt their operations to current market conditions, organize their operations and find financing for new vessels.
The legislative changes mean that the regulatory framework for the chartering of foreign ships and the chartering of Swedish ships – what is referred to in technical terms as ship leasing or bareboat charter – is expanded and modernized. The proposal includes, among other things, clearer rules for under which conditions such chartering in and out shall be able to take place and how chartered foreign vessels shall be handled in the Swedish ship register. According to the proposal, the Swedish ship register will also be supplemented with a special ship leasing register.
Mr. Speaker! Shipping is absolutely crucial for Sweden. Nine out of ten goods to or from our country are transported by sea. A strong and competitive Swedish shipping industry is therefore not only an industrial policy issue but also a matter of security of supply, trade, and preparedness for Sweden.
The government is now implementing several important reforms to strengthen Swedish shipping and to get more shipping companies to flag their ships in Sweden. The stamp duty has been removed, and the tonnage tax is now being reviewed to create better conditions for shipping companies in Sweden.
An important task for the government is to reduce red tape, which this bill has as a perspective. We have listened to Swedish shipping. With the changes now proposed, it will become easier for Swedish shipowners to both lease out and charter in ships. It gives our companies better and more stable conditions over time and strengthens the competitiveness of Swedish shipping.
Mr. Speaker! I come from Skåne myself, which can be heard in my dialect. It is a region with a lot of water and many ports. There, shipping plays a decisive role for both business and employment. It is therefore pleasing that the government is now taking several measures that strengthen Swedish shipping.
Before the continued work, I would however like to raise two important issues. Firstly, we have the need for new icebreakers. It is positive that Trafikverket has noticed this issue and is addressing it in its proposal for a new infrastructure plan. Secondly, we have the importance of better connections between the ports and our land connections.
The Christian Democrats have previously proposed that a new port study be conducted to review the conditions for our ports from both a national and a European perspective. This has become even more necessary now that Sweden is a member of Nato and our strategic position in the Baltic Sea has gained increased importance.
Mr. Speaker! Overall, this is a bill that strengthens Swedish shipping, creates simpler rules and improves the conditions for our shipping companies. It is an important step to ensure that Sweden also in the future is a strong shipping nation.
I vote in favor of the Transport Committee's proposal.
The deliberation was hereby concluded.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.