Picture by Radio Sweden. Credit: Emil Östlund/Sveriges Radio
A shortage of maritime pilots, sailors that steer ships in difficult passages, is at times causing major delays for shipping on Sweden's inland lakes and waterways, such as Vänern, Mälaren and Göta Älv, Swedish Radio News reports.When a ship needs piloting, the Swedish Maritime Administration can meet the request on time in 94 percent of cases nationally, but in the Vänern area, which includes the Göta Älv river, the corresponding figure was 79 percent last year and the same during the first quarter of this year.
Many maritime pilots are retiring at the moment and they are difficult to replace, Swedish Radio News reports.
