The shipping company Stena Bulk has confirmed its plan to flag the first Suezmax tanker, out of a total of five, under the Swedish flag is entering its final phase. The first of these vessels is currently in Singapore, is ready to formalize the procedure before the end of July.
Suezmax tanker modernization with Swedish registration
This transition takes place within the framework of a set of reforms implemented by Sweden to attract shipowners. These include the elimination of stamp duty, the updating of the Swedish Ship Register and a more competitive tonnage tax regime. These changes have created favorable conditions for companies such as Stena Bulk to reconsider their flagging strategy.
Currently, no Suezmax Suezmax vessel currently operates under the Swedish flag. With this initiative, the company seeks to strengthen Sweden’s presence in global maritime trade, contributing to the resilience of the sector and improving its representation before bodies such as the European Union and the IMO.
This process has involved close cooperation between Stena Bulk, the Swedish maritime authorities, trade unions and government representatives. This cooperation has been important in addressing issues such as manning, technical requirements and regulatory compliance.
The flagging schedule for the five tankers will be adjusted to the commercial routes and port availability of each unit. This methodology ensures a smooth transition without affecting operational efficiency.
Stena Bulk aims to increase the number of Swedish-flagged vessels and also to generate professional opportunities for the country’s seafarers and officers. The company reaffirms its willingness to actively contribute to the national maritime strategy through public-private partnerships sustained over time.
We are proud to say that our ambition has been fulfilled. With the reflagging of the Stena Sunrise scheduled for the next few days, we are fulfilling our plan.
This would not have been possible without the truly constructive and progressive collaboration we have had with the Swedish authorities, trade unions and government.
Together, we have not only acted quickly, but we have done so with great professionalism and a common purpose.
Erik Hånell, president and CEO of Stena Bulk.
Follow us on social networks and don’t miss any of our publications!
YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok
Source and photo: Stena Bulk
