Pilots have intimate knowledge of fairways and vast experience manoeuvring many different types of vessels. They contribute to maritime and environmental safety and make it possible to maintain navigability when vessels operate in Swedish inland waterways.
Almost 95% of Swedish imports and exports of goods are transported by ship and many of them need pilotage. Whether a ship must be piloted or not is determined primarily by whether the ship is subject to mandatory pilotage rules, which in turn depends on the ship’s size and cargo. The master of a ship that calls frequently at a particular part may, after examination by the Maritime Safety Inspectorate, be granted a Pilotage Exemption, that is, be allowed to operate his or her ship in Swedish inland waters without pilotage.
Pilotage assistance is also frequent outside Swedish inland waters. Demand for pilotage assistance through Öresund or for voyages on the Baltic Sea is increasing for various reasons.
Competition and concepts like “Just In Time” delivery (which in simple terms means that goods should be kept in stock to the least extent possible) mean that industry and the shipping business have high service demands for pilotage assistance at the appointed time.
The Swedish Maritime Administration is a public agency run on business principles, which means that its costs must be financed by fees to the greatest extent possible. Another fundamental principle is that each area of business must provide its own financing. Pilotage is financed in part through direct pilotage fees and in part through fairway dues, which are paid by all vessels that transport goods to and from Sweden.
The reason for this two-pronged financing model is that the pilotage organisation must be in constant readiness in case a maritime accident occurs, when a pilot is always put onboard, or in the event that a vessel not required to use a pilot requests pilotage assistance.
Pilotage operations may be said to consist of three parts: ordering/administering the pilotage assignment, transporting the pilot to and from the assignment and finally, performance of the assignment. Pilotage operations are organised under the Maritime Traffic Department, which has divided Sweden into seven maritime traffic areas, each led by a maritime traffic area manager.