The flag handover was finalised in Singapore on 31 July, attended by the Swedish Ambassador to Singapore and senior leadership from Stena Bulk

 Leading tanker shipping company Stena Bulk has today announced that its Suezmax tanker, Stena Sunrise, has been officially registered under the Swedish flag during a ceremony in Singapore. The vessel is the first Suezmax tanker in modern times to operate under the Swedish flag, marking a significant step for Sweden’s maritime presence in the global crude oil trade. 

This milestone represents a historic moment for Sweden’s shipping industry. While Swedish shipyards built several large crude carriers during the 1970s and 1980s, most were delivered under foreign flags. Over the past few decades, Sweden has had very limited representation in the largest crude tanker segments, with rare exceptions including the ULCC TT Nanny (1978–1984) and VLCC Vanadis (in the early 1990s), which briefly operated under Swedish registry.

Based on available records and internal knowledge, Stena Sunrise becomes the first Suezmax-class vessel to be flagged in Sweden and among only a handful of large crude carriers ever to do so.

The reflagging ceremony was attended by the Swedish Ambassador to Singapore, Anders Sjöberg, and the General Manager and Head of Stena Bulk Singapore, Johan Zander, who participated in the formal handover of the Swedish flag onboard the vessel. 

Stena Sunrise is the first of five Suezmax tankers that Stena Bulk plans to transition into the Swedish Register of Shipping. The remaining vessels – Stena Superior, Stena Suede, Stena Surprise, and Stena Sunshine – will be reflagged in the coming months in accordance with commercial and operational schedules. 

Erik Hånell, President and CEO of Stena Bulk, said: “We’re proud to see Stena Sunrise officially come under the Swedish flag and to have celebrated this milestone with a ceremony in Singapore. This step has only been made possible by the strong collaboration we have enjoyed with Swedish government authorities and maritime unions. We are excited to continue working together to bring four more of our Suezmax tankers under the Swedish flag in the coming months.” 

As Stena Sunrise officially joins the Swedish fleet, the occasion underscores how public–private cooperation can drive meaningful progress in revitalising Sweden’s role in international shipping.