Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA)

SMA, the Swedish Maritime Administration is a public enterprise within the transport sector, governed by the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications. The safety of navigation on Swedish waters is our main concern. We are responsible for the supervision of Swedish merchant vessels, fishing vessels and leisure boats, making sure that existing security regulations are being applied. We ensure that accessibility, safety and environmental consequences at sea satisfy the demands from government, business, merchant shipping, fishing industry and leisure-boat interests. Our activities are mainly financed by dues, levied on merchant shipping for fairway use and pilot assistance. The Swedish Maritime Administration works for safe navigation on Swedish waters.

Short Facts about the Swedish Maritime Administration:
Founded: 1956
Employees: approx. 1,300
Maritime Traffic Areas: 7
Maritime Safety Inspectorate Areas: 3
Pilot stations: 24

Main professional categories: Pilots, boatmen, ship’s inspectors,VTS-operators, civil engineers. The Swedish Maritime Administration is a self-financing public enterprise, i.e. our activities are, with some exceptions, financed through fees and charges on shipping, outside the government budget. At our pilot stations you find pilot boats, taking pilots to and from ships.

Sea-transport is a safe form of transport. The Swedish Maritime Administration is responsible for keeping Swedish sea-lanes open and safe, and is aiming at improved safety on Swedish waters and on Swedish vessels generally. We are also working for a positive development of the shipping sector as a whole, towards efficient, safe and environment-friendly sea transports.

The Swedish Maritime Administration operates 36 tide gauges and 5 current meters around the Swedish coast. SMA also observes several parameters onboard 5 ice-breakers and runs a few measurement systems in cooperation with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). All data are accessible in real-time.

Wind and Water Information (ViVa)

Swedish Oceanographic stations

Swedish Sea Level Network