Swedish Coast Guard

Swedish Coast Guard
*Kustbevakningen*
Swedish Coast Guard; Kustbevakningen
	Coat of arms for the Swedish Coast Guard
	Racing stripe
Abbreviation	KBV
Agency overview
Formed	1988
Preceding agency	Generaltullstyrelsen;
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Sweden
Specialist jurisdiction	Coastal patrol, marine border protection, marine search and rescue.;
Operational structure
Headquarters	Karlskrona, Blekinge County
Elected officer responsible	Minister for Defence;
Agency executive	Judith Melin, Director General;
Parent agency	Ministry of Defence
Website
	www.kustbevakningen.se

The Swedish Coast Guard (Swedish: Kustbevakningen) is a Swedish civilian government agency tasked with:

maritime surveillance and other control and inspection tasks as well as environmental cleanup after oil spills at sea.
co-ordinate the civilian needs for maritime surveillance and maritime information.
follow international development within the field and take part in international efforts to establish border controls, law enforcement at sea, environmental protection at sea and other maritime surveillance tasks.

The Swedish Coast Guard carries out some of its surveillance by air (from its base at Skavsta Airport south-west of Stockholm), and in the winter-time by hovercraft and snowmobiles on the ice-covered waters of the Bothnian Bay from its Luleå station. The Coast Guard also has regular maritime duties in Vänern, Europe's third largest lake, operating out of Vänersborg.