NWS Hosts Almedalen Seminar: “Sweden’s New Role in NATO – The Importance of Maritime Transport for Total Defence”
Sweden’s entry into NATO has reshaped the landscape. As a host nation for allied forces, Sweden now carries greater responsibility – and a clear need to rapidly coordinate transport across land, sea, and air. In this new security context, maritime transport plays a crucial role in keeping the flow of people, equipment, and resources moving, especially in times of heightened tension.
This was the starting point when Nordic Way Services hosted a well-attended seminar during Almedalen Week. The aim was to highlight how Sweden can strengthen civil-military coordination at sea in light of NATO membership and the country’s host nation commitments.
Maritime transport in a new security environment
Sweden’s long and strategically important coastline makes maritime transport essential for national supply resilience. It connects different modes of transport and underpins functioning logistics chains – in both peace and crisis. But complex logistics coordination cannot be solved on paper alone: it must be practiced in real-world conditions to work when it matters.
The seminar also underscored that military resources alone are not sufficient to meet the demands associated with Sweden’s host nation role. Civil-military cooperation is therefore not just important – it is indispensable, requiring clear roles, prepared processes, and shared responsibility.
Key questions discussed during the seminar
The panel explored several central issues related to Sweden’s role in NATO, including:
- What does the host nation responsibility mean for maritime operations?
- How can resources be mobilised quickly in a crisis?
- How do we coordinate logistics between land and sea in practice?
- What does effective civil-military cooperation look like – and which obstacles must be addressed?
Panelists
The seminar brought together experts from government agencies, politics, and industry:
- Michael Kellerman, VP Group Security, Military & Security Advisor, Soya Group / Nordic Way Services
- Geir Michaelsen, CCO, Wilhelmsen / WilNor
- Alexandra Anstrell, Member of Parliament, Defence Committee (Moderate Party)
- Hanna Westerén, Member of Parliament, Defence Committee (Social Democratic Party)
- Jens Mattsson, Director General, FOI (Swedish Defence Research Agency)
A key step in strengthening Sweden’s preparedness
The seminar made clear that maritime logistics will play a decisive role in Sweden’s ability to receive and support allied forces. By continuing to develop cooperation between civilian and military actors, Sweden can strengthen its readiness in an evolving security environment.