Stena Bulk To Reflag First Suezmax Tanker Under Swedish Flag In Historic Move

Stena Bulk has announced that it is ready to reflag Stena Sunrise, the first of its five Suezmax tankers, under the Swedish flag. The flag change is scheduled to happen in Singapore at the end of July 2025.

The company had earlier aimed to complete all preparatory work for the reflagging by June 30, 2025. Stena Bulk confirmed that this goal has been achieved, and only the final in-port procedures remain before the Stena Sunrise officially switches flags.

This reflagging project reflects Stena Bulk’s effort to support the Swedish maritime industry and take advantage of recent reforms that have made Sweden more attractive as a flag state. These reforms include the removal of stamp duty on ship registrations, a more competitive tonnage tax system, and improvements to the Swedish Ship Register.

At present, there are no Suezmax tankers registered under the Swedish flag. With this move, Stena Bulk aims to change that by registering five of its vessels in Sweden. The company said the transition was made possible through strong cooperation with Swedish authorities, government representatives, and trade unions. All parties worked closely with Stena Bulk to prepare the vessel and finalise the necessary requirements.

Stena Bulk confirmed that the remaining four Suezmax tankers will also be reflagged under the Swedish flag. These changes will take place one by one, based on what works best for each vessel’s commercial operations and port availability. The goal is to carry out each reflagging step smoothly and efficiently.

Throughout the process, Stena Bulk has focused on ensuring safe and compliant operations. The company worked with Swedish stakeholders to manage crewing needs, meet regulatory standards, and address technical requirements. This approach shows the company’s intent to turn its strategic decisions into reliable, practical actions.

Company president and CEO Erik Hånell said the plan has been fulfilled and expressed appreciation for the support received from Swedish authorities, the government, and trade unions. He stated that the work was done quickly and professionally, with a shared goal to complete the reflagging successfully.

According to Stena Bulk, bringing these tankers under the Swedish flag will help develop the local maritime industry. It will also open up new career opportunities for Swedish seafarers, officers, and maritime professionals. The move will also strengthen Sweden’s presence and influence in international maritime organisations like the European Union and the International Maritime Organization.

Reference: stena bulk

Source: Maritime Shipping News