DENMARK SAILS AHEAD

SHIPPING: Denmark is today one of the world’s biggest shipping nations, not only in financial revenues and foreign exchange earnings, but also in operational tonnage, new vessels built and other aspects especially where container operations form a major part.

Hard facts and plain figures from international shipping newspaper Lloyds’ List show that Denmark is Europe’s leading shipping nation.

In 2005, Danish shipping companies generated record foreign currency revenues of approx. USD 23 bn, a 20% increase on 2004. The Danish Shipowners’ Association forecasts continued growth in 2006, despite an anticipated small drop in cargo rates, which achieved record heights in 2005.

The world’s most modern fleet

Danish shipping companies operate around 50 million tons dead weight, which means that over 10% of total world trade is transported on either Danish owned or Danish operated ships. Of the 50 million tons, about 30% is directly owned by around 100 Danish shipping companies ranging from the small to the very large. The rest are ships which are chartered or pooled from Danish shipping companies and cargo carriers. Measured by nationality of ownership, Denmark is the 12th largest shipping nation in the world. If all disposable ships are included, Denmark is then the world’s 5th largest shipping nation.

By the end of 2005, Danish shipping companies had a new vessel construction programme valued at approx. USD 12 bn. The existing Danish fleet is already the world’s youngest with an average age of just under seven years. The ongoing new-build programme will reduce the average age to 6.2 years, compared with the world average of 12 years. The new-build programme might be significantly larger according to Danish Shipowners’ Association, since the USD 12 bn figure only includes contracts which have been confirmed by both shipping company and shipyard.

Quality shipping

Denmark’s Maersk-Sealand, which acquired P&O Nedlloyd in autumn 2005, is the world’s largest container shipping company with more than 20% of the world’s total TEU capacity at its disposal.

The foregoing figures speak for themselves, but they also say something about the cause and effect that the concept of ’quality shipping’ has achieved for Denmark. Quality shipping means safety, reliability, trustwor-

thiness and competitiveness. Denmark’s golden reputation is built on an exceptionally high educational level for both the crew at sea and the growing numbers of skilled shipping people on land.

The Danish corporate sector uses the ’Blue Denmark’ concept, which means shipping and associated/derived businesses. It covers operation of harbours, shipyards, hardware and software subsuppliers for shipping, equipment and service deliveries as well as offshore activities in oil and gas. ’Blue Denmark’ involves 120,000 people who help ensure and maintain the quality level which has given Denmark the position of European frontrunner.

http://www.shipowners.dk