Maritime research is a vital component of the Swedish Maritime Administration’s sector role, particularly within the areas of maritime safety and the environment. The Administration’s own research is limited, but it supports the activities of researchers in the field. The research budget for 2011 is SEK 4.1 million.
The Swedish Maritime Administration is active in the national maritime safety programme administered by VINNOVA. The programme was instituted in 2001 and is ongoing.
As a result of the extreme internationalisation of shipping, research in the field is strongly linked to the international regulatory development run by the IMO, International Maritime Organization. The Swedish Maritime Administration thus plays a vital part in communicating the views of the IMO to the research community.
Transport research in Sweden is coordinated through TRANSAM, which coordinates initiatives, follow-up and communication of new initiatives.
A database is run on relevant Swedish research in the maritime sector. This database is mostly in Swedish but partly also available in English.