Sweden has been hit by a real winter. For many, it is long-awaited, but for shipping it is a trial. The Swedish Maritime Administration has been clear about its challenges: extensive ice conditions, lack of icebreaker capacity, staffing problems and insufficient funding. But that the state has problems
with its mission does not mean that responsibility can be shifted to private actors without contract, without compensation and without legal clarity.
Icebreaking is and remains a state responsibility. It is financed by fairway dues levied on all vessels calling at Swedish ports. When the state charges for a service, it must also deliver it. Anything else undermines trust in the system.
Since 2022, the Swedish Maritime Administration has decided that the state icebreaker assistance in the Södertälje canal and the Mälaren deep water channel is only provided on condition that local stakeholders carry out other necessary icebreaking in the harbour area, as well as in the state fairway. The state aid is considered as
a “reinforcement resource” that is deployed only when local resources are insufficient. This is regulated in the regulation SJÖFS 2021:2.
In practice, this means that Mälarhamnar, in addition to our own harbour area, is expected to keep public waterways open, without agreement and without guaranteed compensation, while the state continues to charge fairway fees. With what mandate can a state authority unilaterally delegate its responsibilities to private actors?
This is not just a matter of principle. It is a question of security, competitive neutrality and crisis preparedness.
During the current winter, the difficult ice situation has led to several ships, despite ice class, getting stuck in Lake Mälaren. The situations have been resolved temporarily through dialogue on a case-by-case basis, but this is not a sustainable solution over time. Shipping requires predictability. Shipping companies and cargo owners must be able to rely on fairways being kept open on equal terms throughout the country.
Lake Mälaren is a central artery for industry in Västerås, Köping and the entire Mälardalen region. Excluding Lake Mälaren from a state icebreaker responsibility creates an unacceptable inequality between different parts of the country.
If the state considers icebreaking in the public waterways of Lake Mälaren to be a private responsibility, then the waterway charges must be adjusted to reflect this. You cannot both charge for winter road maintenance and at the same time require someone else to do it.
Mälarhamnar is ready to contribute. We already have two icebreaker vessels that are used to enable winter traffic. But co-operation requires reasonable conditions.
It requires either:
- A clear contract with compensation for the icebreaking carried out on behalf of the State, as was the case before 2022, or
- A change in the fee structure to reflect actual liability.
We urge the government and the Maritime Administration to act immediately:
- Ensure that all available icebreaking resources in the country are used in severe ice conditions and that the actors concerned are compensated.
- Review the icebreaker regulations, including the Icebreaker Ordinance (SFS 2000:1149), so that Lake Mälaren is not excluded from state icebreaking in public waterways.
- Adjust fairway dues if the state does not intend to take full responsibility for icebreaking.
At a time when crisis preparedness and total defence are high on the political agenda, it should go without saying that responsibilities and powers must be aligned. The state cannot abandon its mission when it becomes costly or organisationally difficult.
Either icebreaking is a state responsibility, in which case the state should take full responsibility.
Or it isn't, in which case the state should stop charging for it.
Anything else is unreasonable.
Andreas Andersson, CEO
Mälarhamnar AB