SSG No 10 - Shipgaz

olf p nilsson
SHIPPING AND SHIP MANAGEMENT
The opening ceremony of the industry meeting days at the Maritime Academy in Kalmar attracted more than
60 companies eager to recruit new officers. The future also looks bright as ship officer education has become
increasingly popular in Sweden, with full first-year classes at both maritime academies.
Tonnage tax still
the big issue
Owners appeared, slowly, to be
coming to Swedish shipowners is
obviously a patient breed. For years,
the industry has waited for an answer
from the government to their call for
a tonnage tax scheme.
sweden
During these years, government has shifted
from a left-green one to a right-liberal
one. The issue has been thoroughly investigated
and irrespective of the colour of
the government, there has always been an
overwhelmingly and stable majority in the
Swedish Parliament in favour of the introduction
of a tonnage tax in line with every
other maritime nation in the European
Union.
Before the latest election in 2006, the
The SwediSh FleeT, Jan 1, 2008
Above 300 gt
numbers MdwT
Swedish flag 232 2.51
Foreign flag 344 6.89
Total 602 12.52
average age
Based on number Based on dwT
Swedish flag 19.6 9.9
Foreign flag 12.9 8.6
Source: Lighthouse
Conservative party led by the present
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt filed a
Parliament bill in which it slammed the
red-green government’s slow handling of
TOp 10 regiSTerS, Jan 1, 2008
Tonnage controlled by Swedish owners
(MDWT)
Sweden 2.54
Norway (NIS) 0.97
Bermuda 0.91
Liberia 0.52
Singapore 0.43
UK 0.42
Denmark (DIS) 0.39
Marshall Islands 0.39
Finland 0.37
France (FIS) 0.36
Source: Lighthouse
the issue and urged it to introduce a tonnage
tax bill a s a p. Fredrik Reinfeldt won
the election, but today, after one and half
year in office, nothing has happened.
74 SCANDINAVIAN SHIPPING GAZETTE • MAY 16, 2008