2023-05-102022/23:TU7 · p.2TUTransport & infrastructure
A competitive Swedish maritime sector
Competitiveness and collaboration in the Swedish shipping industry
What's at stake: The decision affects how the shipping industry is supported in competing for freight and passenger traffic, and how dependent Sweden is on a domestic merchant fleet for trade, supply security and total defense.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the Riksdag should direct new initiatives to the government to strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish shipping and counter flagging-out, or whether ongoing efforts and assignments are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee considers that various initiatives and assignments have already been carried out to strengthen shipping's competitiveness, promote a shift of freight transport from road to sea, and strengthen civil defense and crisis preparedness, and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 3 (S)
The reservation wants the government to act forcefully against the flagging-out of the Swedish-registered merchant fleet, since it threatens Sweden's national supply capability, and holds that a well-functioning shipping industry is central to trade, business and the shift of freight from road to sea.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 3 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 167–94Nej 104–157
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/94/0/13 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 14/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2022/23:84 by Linda Westerlund Snecker et al. (V) demand 8, 2022/23:280 by Lena Johansson (S) demand 2, 2022/23:834 by Ulrika Heie et al. (C) demand 34, 2022/23:1015 by Jimmy Ståhl et al. (SD) demands 3 and 7 as well as 2022/23:2140 by Gunilla Svantorp et al. (S) demand 44.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2022/23:84 av Linda Westerlund Snecker m.fl. (V) yrkande 8, 2022/23:280 av Lena Johansson (S) yrkande 2, 2022/23:834 av Ulrika Heie m.fl. (C) yrkande 34, 2022/23:1015 av Jimmy Ståhl m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 3 och 7 samt 2022/23:2140 av Gunilla Svantorp m.fl. (S) yrkande 44.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 65 proposals in motions from the general motion period 2022. Among other things with reference to ongoing work. The proposals concern, for example, Swedish maritime competitiveness, the organizational form of the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket), maritime charges, icebreakers, certain environmental and occupational health and safety issues, and recreational boat issues.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to work powerfully against the reflagging of Swedish vessels. (S) — Reservation 3
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The election manifesto establishes that heavy transport should be directed to rail and sustainable shipping and that the state must increase its control over the infrastructure and resources that the transition requires.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that heavy transport should be directed to rail and sustainable shipping and that the state must increase its control over the infrastructure and resources that the transition requires. The party programme makes transport systems and other infrastructure a key sector where public ownership should be strong and requires a more active state industrial policy. Forceful measures against the decline of the domestic merchant fleet, with reference to supply security and shifting goods from road to sea, are in line with this.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att tunga transporter ska styras till järnväg och hållbar sjöfart och att staten måste öka sin kontroll över den infrastruktur och de resurser som omställningen kräver. Partiprogrammet gör transportsystem och övrig infrastruktur till en nyckelsektor där samhällsägandet ska vara starkt och kräver en mer aktiv statlig industripolitik. Kraftfulla åtgärder mot minskningen av det inhemska handelsfartygsbeståndet, med hänvisning till försörjningsförmågan och överflyttning av gods från väg till sjö, ligger i linje med detta.
- goods to shippingdecisive»Tunga transporter behöver styras till järnväg och hållbar sjöfart.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Heavy transport needs to be directed to rail and sustainable shipping.”
- state control over infrastructure»Staten måste öka sin kontroll över infrastruktur och resurser som behövs för att genomföra klimatomställningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The state must increase its control over the infrastructure and resources needed to carry out the climate transition.”
- public ownership in key sectors»transportsystem, kommunikationer och övrig infrastruktur« (party programme ↗)“transport systems, communications and other infrastructure”
- active state industrial policy»mer aktiv statlig industri- och landsbygdspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“more active state industrial and rural policy.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme states that road transport should be replaced with rail transport and maritime traffic and that a successful business requires well-functioning infrastructure.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that road transport should be replaced with rail transport and maritime traffic and that a successful business requires well-functioning infrastructure. The election manifesto wants to increase preparedness in the transport sector and emphasises that global trade is absolutely crucial for a small export-dependent country. Forceful measures against a shrinking Swedish merchant fleet, with reference to supply capacity, thus follow from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att vägtransporter ska ersättas med järnvägstransporter och sjötrafik och att ett framgångsrikt näringsliv kräver väl fungerande infrastruktur. Valmanifestet vill öka beredskapen i transportsektorn och betonar att den globala handeln är helt avgörande för ett litet exportberoende land. Kraftfulla åtgärder mot ett krympande svenskt handelsfartygsbestånd, med hänvisning till försörjningsförmågan, följer därmed av planen.
- shifting cargo to maritime trafficdecisive»vägtransporter ersätts med järnvägstransporter och sjötrafik.« (party programme ↗)“road transport is replaced with rail transport and maritime traffic.”
- preparedness in the transport sector»öka beredskapen i transportsektorn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“increase preparedness in the transport sector.”
- export dependence requires maritime traffic»Vi står upp för en öppen, fri och rättvis handel. För ett litet och exportberoende land som Sverige är den globala handeln helt avgörande« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We stand up for open, free and fair trade. For a small and export-dependent country like Sweden, global trade is absolutely crucial”
- infrastructure for business»Ett framgångsrikt näringsliv kräver en väl fungerande infrastruktur.« (party programme ↗)“A successful business requires well-functioning infrastructure.”
The party programme wants to expand and develop shipping and combined terminals so that road freight transport can decrease, and points to the Swedish coast's harbours as an opportunity to combine land and sea transport.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants to expand and develop shipping and combined terminals so that road freight transport can decrease, and points to the Swedish coast's harbours as an opportunity to combine land and sea transport. The programme also wants Sweden to become more self-sufficient and less vulnerable, which bears the counter-proposal's self-sufficiency argument. Measures against a shrinking Swedish merchant fleet are thus in line with the plan, even though the fleet is not mentioned.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill bygga ut och utveckla sjöfart och kombiterminaler så att godstransporter på väg kan minska, och pekar på den svenska kustens hamnar som en möjlighet att kombinera land- och sjötransporter. Programmet vill dessutom att Sverige blir mer självförsörjande och mindre sårbart, vilket bär motförslagets försörjningsargument. Åtgärder mot ett krympande svenskt handelsfartygsbestånd ligger därmed i linje med planen, även om fartygsbeståndet inte nämns.
- shift goods to shippingdecisive»Vi vill bygga ut och utveckla järnväg, sjöfart och kombiterminaler så att godstransporter på väg kan minska.« (party programme ↗)“We want to expand and develop railways, shipping and combined terminals so road freight transport can decrease.”
- increased self-sufficiency»Sverige som land och även lokalsamhällena måste bli mer självförsörjande och mindre sårbara.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden as a country and local communities must become more self-sufficient and less vulnerable.”
- strengthened civil defence»satsa en större andel av försvarets pengar på det civila försvaret, och öka anslagen till krisberedskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“put a larger share of defence spending into civil defence and increase appropriations for crisis preparedness.”
- harbours as a resource»Sverige har en lång kust med väl fungerande hamnar som ger goda förutsättningar att förbättra energieffektiviteten genom att kombinera land och sjötransporter.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden has a long coast with well-functioning harbours that provide good conditions to improve energy efficiency by combining land and sea transport.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that civil defence and society's preparedness be strengthened and that shipping be given strengthened competitiveness in the transition.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that civil defence and society's preparedness be strengthened and that shipping be given strengthened competitiveness in the transition. A shrinking domestic merchant fleet threatens precisely the self-sufficiency the plan wants to secure. The plan moreover emphasizes that companies need reliable infrastructure and that Swedish trade is dependent on openness to the world.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att civilförsvaret och samhällets beredskap rustas och att sjöfarten ges stärkt konkurrenskraft i omställningen. Ett krympande inhemskt handelsfartygsbestånd hotar just den försörjningsförmåga planen vill säkra. Planen betonar dessutom att företagen behöver pålitlig infrastruktur och att svensk handel är beroende av öppenhet mot omvärlden.
- self-sufficiency preparednessdecisive»Även det civila försvaret är livsviktigt. Vi måste rusta civilförsvaret och samhällets beredskap inför krig och kris.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Civil defence is also vital. We must strengthen civil defence and society's preparedness for war and crisis.”
- shipping's competitiveness»Mer behöver göras för att flyget, sjöfarten och jordbruket ska kunna ställa om till förnybara drivmedel med stärkt konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More needs to be done for aviation, shipping, and agriculture to be able to transition to renewable fuels with strengthened competitiveness.”
- trade-dependent economy»Sverige klarar sig inte utan frihandel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden does not manage without free trade.”
- goods and journeys by water»Det ska dessutom vara smidigt att välja bort bilen till förmån för tåg, buss, båt och cykel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It should furthermore be smooth to choose away from the car in favour of train, bus, boat, and bike.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto requires that civil defense is strengthened at the same rate as the military, which addresses the counter-proposal's central reason that a shrinking merchant fleet threatens national supply capacity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that civil defense is strengthened at the same rate as the military, which addresses the counter-proposal's central reason that a shrinking merchant fleet threatens national supply capacity. The party programme also lifts maritime transport as an important element in infrastructure that relieves road and rail. The plan's free trade line simultaneously speaks against sector-targeted support, which makes the support conditional on actions being justified by supply preparedness.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att det civila försvaret stärks i samma takt som det militära, vilket träffar motförslagets bärande skäl att ett krympande handelsfartygsbestånd hotar den nationella försörjningsförmågan. Partiprogrammet lyfter dessutom sjötransporterna som ett viktigt inslag i infrastrukturen som avlastar väg och järnväg. Planens frihandelslinje talar samtidigt mot branschriktade stöd, vilket gör stödet villkorat av att åtgärderna motiveras av försörjningsberedskap.
- strengthened civil defensedecisive»Antalet anställda och värnpliktiga i krigsorganisationen ska öka, ny materiel tillföras och det civila försvaret stärkas i samma takt som det militära.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The number of employees and conscripts in the defense organization shall increase, new equipment shall be provided and civil defense shall be strengthened at the same rate as the military.”
- maritime transport important in infrastructure»Goda möjligheter till sjötransporter är ett viktigt inslag i infrastrukturen. Stora godsvolymer kan transporteras« (party programme ↗)“Good opportunities for maritime transport are an important element in infrastructure. Large cargo volumes can be transported”
- investments in infrastructure»Sverige behöver fortsatt stora investeringar i infrastruktur.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden needs continued large investments in infrastructure.”
- free trade as starting point»Sverige ska vara en stark röst för frihandel, i första hand genom globala avtal men annars genom regionala« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be a strong voice for free trade, primarily through global agreements but otherwise through regional”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants Sweden's position as a maritime nation to be strong through long-term and competitive conditions and counts shipping among the infrastructure that is a prerequisite for regional balance and economic development.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants Sweden's position as a maritime nation to be strong through long-term and competitive conditions and counts shipping among the infrastructure that is a prerequisite for regional balance and economic development. A shrinking domestic merchant fleet also threatens the supply capability that the plan places on economic defence within total defence. Vigorous measures against the decline follow from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att Sveriges ställning som sjöfartsnation är stark genom långsiktiga och konkurrenskraftiga villkor och räknar sjöfarten till den infrastruktur som är en förutsättning för regional balans och ekonomisk utveckling. Ett krympande inhemskt handelsfartygsbestånd hotar dessutom den försörjningsförmåga som planen lägger på det ekonomiska försvaret inom totalförsvaret. Kraftfulla åtgärder mot minskningen följer av dessa åtaganden.
- strong Swedish shippingdecisive»Sveriges ställning som sjöfartsnation bör« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's position as a maritime nation should”
- economic defence in total defence»är en viktig del av totalförsvaret. Sverige ska i princip« (party programme ↗)“is an important part of total defence. Sweden should in principle”
- shipping as part of infrastructure»vägar, flygförbindelser, sjöfart samt tillförlitliga elektroniska kommunikationer med hög prestanda är en« (party programme ↗)“roads, air connections, shipping and reliable electronic communications with high performance are a”
- goods from road to shipping»Det bör dock eftersträvas att mer av godstransporterna i första hand sker med miljövänliga« (party programme ↗)“However, it should be pursued that more of goods transport in the first place takes place with environmentally friendly”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan makes reduced vulnerability and raised self-sufficiency an explicit commitment and wants to secure long-term planning for civil defense.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes reduced vulnerability and raised self-sufficiency an explicit commitment and wants to secure long-term planning for civil defense. A shrinking domestic merchant fleet threatens precisely that supply capability, which argues for strong action. The plan also shows willingness to state-secure maritime operations, for example through a renewed icebreaker fleet for industry in northern Sweden.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör minskad sårbarhet och höjd självförsörjningsgrad till ett uttalat åtagande och vill säkra en långsiktig planering för det civila försvaret. Ett krympande inhemskt handelsfartygsbestånd hotar just den försörjningsförmågan, vilket talar för kraftfulla åtgärder. Planen visar också beredskap att statligt säkra sjöfartens funktion, till exempel genom en förnyad isbrytarflotta för industrin i norra Sverige.
- reduced vulnerabilitydecisive»Det nya säkerhetsläget i Europa gör att vi som land måste minska vår sårbarhet och öka vår självförsörjningsgrad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The new security situation in Europe means that we as a nation must reduce our vulnerability and increase our self-sufficiency.”
- civil supply capability»Säkra en långsiktig planering för det civila försvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Secure long-term planning for civil defense”
- state responsibility for maritime operations»Förnya flottan av isbrytare för att underlätta för industrin i norra Sverige« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Renew the icebreaker fleet to facilitate industry in northern Sweden”
- business sector's competitiveness»Sveriges välstånd bygger på ett dynamiskt och livskraftigt näringsliv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's prosperity is built on a dynamic and vigorous business community.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants to strengthen Swedish shipping, explicitly both for employment and training opportunities and because shipping is part of total defence.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to strengthen Swedish shipping, explicitly both for employment and training opportunities and because shipping is part of total defence. Powerful measures against the decline of the domestic merchant fleet thus directly respond to that commitment and to the plan's requirement for increased supply capability. Shipping is also pointed out as central to imports and exports.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill stärka svensk sjöfart, uttryckligen både för arbets- och utbildningstillfällen och för att sjöfarten är en del av totalförsvaret. Kraftfulla åtgärder mot minskningen av det inhemska handelsfartygsbeståndet svarar direkt mot det åtagandet och mot planens krav på ökad försörjningsförmåga. Sjöfarten pekas också ut som central för import och export.
- shipping as total defencedecisive»Vi behöver även stärka den svenska sjöfarten för att säkra arbets- och utbildningstillfällen men inte minst för att sjöfarten är en del av totalförsvaret.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We also need to strengthen Swedish shipping to secure employment and training opportunities but not least because shipping is part of total defence.”
- strengthened Swedish shipping»Stärka svensk sjöfart« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen Swedish shipping”
- shipping for trade»Hamnar och sjöfarten är en viktig del i Sveriges import och export.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ports and shipping are an important part of Sweden's imports and exports.”
- national supply capability»Öka den svenska självförsörjningsgraden av kritiska produkter och varor« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase Swedish self-sufficiency of critical products and goods”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:TU7)
- Committee report full text (HA01TU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1015 — En konkurrenskraftig svensk sjöfart av Jimmy Ståhl m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1067 — Stärkt infrastruktur i Blekinge av Camilla Brunsberg (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1123 — Den svenska basindustrin av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1174 — Nationellt stöd för infrastruktur av riksintresse av Marianne Fundahn och Per-Arne Håkansson (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1190 — Strategiska Östersjöhamnar av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1264 — Kunskaps- och säkerhetskrav för framförandet av vissa fritidsbåtar av Markus Wiechel (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1669 — Förbättrad miljöinformation i sjökort/båtsportskort av Kerstin Lundgren (C)
- Motion 2022/23:2140 — Utgiftsområde 22 Kommunikationer av Gunilla Svantorp m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2144 — Satsningar på Stockholms skärgård av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:2190 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:280 — Hjulstabron av Lena Johansson (S)
- Motion 2022/23:785 — Utveckla den maritima besöksnäringen av Johan Hultberg (M)
- Motion 2022/23:834 — Hållbara transporter med hög tillgänglighet i hela landet av Ulrika Heie m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:84 — Förbättrade arbetsvillkor i yrkestrafiken av Linda Westerlund Snecker m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:853 — Grön omställning av transportsektorn av Ulrika Heie m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:906 — Va och vatten av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:907 — Cirkulär ekonomi och kemikalier av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
Source: The Swedish Parliament