The Coast Guard in Sweden is in a generational change with a crying need for both personnel and new equipment.
In addition, there is a growing list of tasks.
Among other things, since a change in the law in 2019, a lot of the police's tasks have been taken on in everything from arrests to investigative work.
Gloomy conclusion in report
But according to a report from the trade union Customs-Coast which came in May, the financing of the Coast Guard has slipped behind and in a future scenario, eight stations along the coasts may be forced to close unless the state quickly raises funds.
One of these is the station in Oxelösund.
- We have warned about this for several years and the situation we see now is not sustainable in the long run, says union chairman Johan Lindgren.
Receives support from the Director General
The content of the report has also been supported by employers, and in July the Coast Guard's Director General Therese Mattsson issued a comment in which it was clarified that the state's allocation per year needs to be increased by approximately SEK 200 million.
In an urgent phase, 150 coastguards need to be hired.
- Today we cancel too many patrols, or let them join for small crews.
The situation is worrying, said Therese Mattsson in the statement from July.
In the video above, the officer Gustav Wägmark talks about how the situation affects the station in Oxelösund.