Ineffective measures to reduce discharge of harmful substances into the sea from shipping
Central government measures to reduce discharge of harmful substances into the sea from shipping are ineffective. Neither Swedish regulations on discharges nor other central government efforts are sufficient. This concerns in particular measures to ensure sufficient capacity of port facilities to receive harmful substances.

The Swedish National Audit Office has examined central government efforts to reduce discharges of harmful substances into the sea from shipping. Its overall conclusion is that measures are ineffective, as most of them will not actually reduce discharges in the short term.
Swedish regulation provides greater scope than numerous other countries for ships to discharge harmful substances into the sea. In the case of washwater from cleaning cargo tanks, Swedish regulations allow ships to leave Swedish ports to discharge cargo residues from tank cleaning and then to return to the same port for new loading. Likewise, Sweden has not restricted the right to discharge scrubber water from ships’ exhaust gas cleaning.
“The Government has recently proposed banning scrubber water discharges, but it also needs to examine stricter regulations concerning discharges of cargo residues,” says Auditor General Christina Gellerbrant Hagberg.
Sufficient capacity of ports to receive harmful substances that ships need to deliver is fundamental for reducing discharges of such substances into the sea. The audit shows that there are indications that capacity in Swedish port reception facilities is not always sufficient. However, the Swedish Transport Agency does not assess in detail whether actual port reception capacity is sufficient.
“There are often large quantities of harmful substances involved, that ships need to deliver in port. The Swedish Transport Agency therefore needs to develop its assessments of whether ports’ reception capacity is adequate in practice,” says Fredrik Engström, Project Leader for the audit.
The audit also shows that there are problems with other central government initiatives. For example, the programme of measures for the marine environment, established by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, contains few concrete actions to reduce discharges from shipping. It is unclear how the programme of measures will contribute, in practice, to reducing discharges by the end date of the programme in 2027.
The Swedish Coast Guard’s investigations into suspected illegal discharges of harmful substances other than mineral oil almost never lead to legal action, in part because there are no methods for calculating the volumes involved.
The Swedish Maritime Administration’s environmental differentiation of fairway dues is a weak incentive for shipping to reduce scrubber water discharges and other noxious liquid substances into the sea.
Recommendations in brief
The Government is recommended to as soon as possible introduce a ban on scrubber water discharges throughout Sweden’s territorial waters. The Government should also review Swedish regulations on discharges of cargo residues to ensure that they comply with requirements in international conventions.
The Swedish Transport Agency is recommended to ensure sufficient capacity of ports’ reception for noxious liquid substances.
The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management is recommended to consider, in consultation with the Swedish Transport Agency, to develop more concrete and feasible measures to minimise the environmental impact of shipping on the seas.
The Swedish Coast Guard is recommended to investigate how to develop methods for calculating the volume of harmful substances other than mineral oil.
The Swedish Maritime Administration is recommended to devise greater economic incentives for shipping companies to reduce the discharge of scrubber water and cargo residues with noxious liquid substances.