In a NATO-integrated total defence system, Swedish ports play a key role in energy supply, logistics and military mobility. But as local ports are expected to become national security hubs, a crucial question emerges: who will pay? A new pre-study from Lighthouse and the Swedish Transport Administration points to the need for greater state responsibility in the development of Sweden’s ports.

Previous research within the Swedish Transport Administration’s industry programme Sustainable Shipping, managed by Lighthouse, established the concept of the Sustainable Port, where a port is understood as a transport hub, energy hub and digital hub. In that context, the principle of Strategic Level 0 was also introduced. This concept recognises that certain functions are so fundamental that they simply must work. Ports are therefore not only part of the logistics chain, but a prerequisite for the chain’s very existence.

“Ports are no longer just about quays, cranes and terminals. They are about ensuring that society’s most critical flows continue to function: transport, energy, information and supply chains, even when they are under pressure. This requires a new way of viewing infrastructure as a system function. The focus shifts from individual facilities to flows, from local operations to national functions, and from protecting assets to securing the continuity of the entire transport system,” says Mikael Lind, researcher at RISE and project leader of The Port as a Security Hub.

According to Sweden’s Defence Commission, the deteriorating security environment has made resilience and endurance in critical societal functions a strategic priority. At the same time, Sweden’s NATO membership means that Swedish ports, roads, railways and airports are no longer merely national infrastructure. They have become part of the Alliance’s shared logistical backbone, where military mobility, host nation support and the ability to receive reinforcements are central.

In this new security landscape, certain Swedish ports will, according to the report, take on a special role as national security hubs.

“Not all 55 Swedish ports will become strategic nodes in a national and international transport system, but a certain level of security is required in every port. To assess the maturity of each port, we have built on the maturity models developed for the Sustainable Port concept,” says Mikael Lind.

Each port must therefore understand its role within the broader system. Is it primarily a local logistics facility, a regional supply node, an energy hub, or a strategic link in national and allied supply chains? Only then is it possible to determine what level of security capability is reasonable to develop.

The report also highlights a major dilemma. Most Swedish ports are municipally owned, yet some of them have significance that extends far beyond their local communities. If a port is expected to function as an entry point for allied forces or as a critical hub in Sweden’s energy supply system, the question arises: who should finance the necessary investments?

“Ports are not only facing security-related challenges. New EU regulations, including the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), require larger ports to provide shore-side electricity to regularly calling vessels. The cost of these adaptations is estimated at between SEK 1.4 and 1.8 billion, and municipalities that own the ports are expected to carry that burden. The same applies to security hubs. They require major investments, but this time it is the state that expects them to be developed properly without providing additional funding. I believe the consequence will be that wealthier municipalities can support these investments, while less affluent municipalities risk falling behind.”

There is therefore no simple or ready-made solution. The report proposes that the Government assign the Swedish Civil Defence Authority (Myndigheten för civilt försvar, MCF), in cooperation with the Swedish Armed Forces, RISE, the Swedish Transport Administration, Ports of Sweden, the Swedish Transport Enterprises/Aviation, relevant airport operators, strategic transport node stakeholders and Lighthouse, to establish a national programme for the development and validation of the security hub concept.

The Port as a Security Hub was authored by Mikael Lind, Sandra Haraldson and Johan Östling (RISE), Johan Woxenius (University of Gothenburg), and Fredrik Olindersson (Chalmers University of Technology).
In collaboration with:
The Swedish Armed Forces, Ports of Sweden, the Port of Helsingborg, the Port of Norrköping, the Port of Gävle, the Port of Oxelösund, the Port of Falkenberg, Kvarken Ports Umeå, Combitech AB, and Höga Kusten Airport.