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Shipping communities
Shipping is a personal-driven industry, characterized
by personal involvement and relations. We like to think of our industry
as one made up by people dedicated to shipping, ships and seafaring, united
across national borders by a common professional culture. Shipping thrives
in communities of maritime culture and related activities, and the community
factor is indeed one of the strong points of the North European shipping
industry, signifying environments of people, competence, tradition and
a public concern for maritime matters.
There are scores of small and large shipping communities across our region,
from villages and small towns of ship operation or shipbuilding to cities
of financial significance. The local roots of North European shipping
are as diverse as its range of activities, from shortsea to offshore and
deepsea, from ad hoc to industrial strategies.
 The
great thing about shipping communities is that they are fertile for doing
business. The essential elements of maritime competence at hand –
from seafarers to service suppliers – promises short lines, easy
communication and common values. This is good for hands-on management
and makes a climate for new ventures. And, as every politician should
know, the shipping companies are the driving force in the maritime industry.
Research reveals that such communities may generate impressive effects.
According to a report made by the Haugesund/Stord College, 20 per cent
of the working population in the Haugesund area on the Norwegian west
coast is employed within the maritime industrial cluster – 11,600
persons, including 2,100 seafarers, out of a local population of 145,000.
The
turnover amounts to NOK 16.5 billion (USD 2.6 billion) with a net value
creation of NOK 5 billion.
Other
reports point out that the growth rate in the maritime industry is higher
than the national total. From 1995 to 1999 value creation in Norwegian
trades and industries grew by a third, against 68 per cent in the maritime
sector, according to the report “Det regionale maritime Norge”.
Estimates from other maritime clusters in Northern Europe point to similar
effects.
Net-working
A new significance has been attached to the community factor in the 1990s,
as seen by the various national and regional forums formed in our region.
The rationale behind these forums is two-fold: One is to influence public
opinion and politicians with facts and information in order to achieve
political goodwill. The second to build personal and corporate networks
across the industry in order to stimulate business links and increased
value creation.
Now,
that has not always been easy in our industry of entrepreneurs and strong
personalities, often competing for projects. But there are areas for closer
cooperation, like the technical and maritime fields, in manning and recruitment.
The important thing is to ease communication, to connect suppliers and
customers and generate cross-fertilization.
The
shipping companies are demanding and cost-conscious customers, and most
know how to value local suppliers. And the content may be changing from
shipbuilding and shiprepair to ship design, equipment and IT-systems.
The
strength of the shipping communities has traditionally been the element
of maritime competence, the hands-on management concerned with standards,
performance and economy. Persons with maritime qualifications are vitally
important for management, ship operation, shipbroking, ports, agencies,
suppliers, ship equipment manfacturers and the entire maritime infrastructure.
Here lies the core element in the European maritime culture.
Red lights burning
But the maritime communities are also in need of maintenance. We need
to see them in a perspective of 10–20 years and take the precautions
to make them thrive and grow.
Much
is of course dependent on the political conditions for an industry operating
in an international market. This has to do with taxes and financial conditions,
access to international manning, but also for the continued supply of
human capital.
All
European nations are facing a decline in national seafarers and have done
so for decades. More or less half-hearted efforts are done to bring out
a new generation of seafarers to fill the ranks after the aging cadres
of officers. But what happens when this source dries out?
Will
we lose content and competence, or may we replace maritime qualifications
with dedicated shipping professionals?
Yes
and no.
Yes,
because much can be learnt through the shipping eduction programmes as
a basis for practice and experience. And no, because the important insight
in ship operation and cargo-handling stands at risk.
The
situation in Norway, the country which has been leading in the use of
foreign crews, shows disturbing signs. Having largely replaced Norwegian
officers with Polish, Indians or Filippinos, some companies now prefer
to employ superintendents of the same nationality to ease communication.
This has led to Polish nationals working from Norway and – more disturbingly
– to the outsourcing of entire management branches to the Far East.
When
the management sections are moved out, the purchasing network moves with
it.
This means that acquisitions and purchases are no longer channelled through
European suppliers. In a short time, this will undermine the very core
of the maritime clusters. The shipping companies will lose importance
as the driving factor and so will political goodwill for shipping.
Our
maritime communities are important for regional economy and employment,
for the future role of shipping and sea transportation in Europe, for
innovation and new ventures.
But we need to take a longer perspective and find means to stem the drain
that may erode our industry. So much hinges on the human factor as competence
is a slow-growing asset.
//Dag Bakka Jr
Strong maritime Areas
Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam,
the traditional ARA-range, the entry gate to the Continent, logistic centre,
strong on services and shiprepair, shipping and chartering
The
Thames area with its ports, the financial centre in London and remnants
of a short sea community in parts of Kent and Suffolk.
The
Solent, Southampton/Portsmouth, a cluster of ferry, shortsea and naval
activities.
Emsland,
the westernmost reaches of Germany and across the border to North Netherlands,
with Haren as an active shipping town on the River Ems. Commercial activities
in Delfzijl and Emden.
Hamburg,
Kehdingen and Altes Land area with ports, shipyards, services, shipowners,
chartering and trading. Emphasis on container shipping and chartering.
A full maritime cluster.
The
German Baltic coast, with active shipping in Rendsburg on the Kiel Canal,
but mostly ports and shipbuilding along the coast.
Gdynia/Gdansk
area, combination of ports, transportation, a few shipping companies and
a large shipbuilding sector. Agencies providing manning for Norwegian/Danish/German
ships.
The
ports of Kaliningrad, Klaipeda, Riga and Tallinn have all activities centred
on ports, shiprepair, shipping and crewing, the troubled aftergrowth of
decades of communism.
St
Petersburg area, cluster suffering from centralistic policies, few but
larger companies within shipping and shipbuilding.
Åland, an island community with strong traditions, involved in shortsea,
ferries and crosstrading. Strong maritime elements, but lacking in local
service providers. Links through the achipelago to Åbo on the mainland.
Göteborg-Donsö-Tjörn
range on the western coast of Sweden, a strong cluster with a good number
of participants, entrepreneurial owners, repair yards, services, a viable
maritime element. Over 100 product tankers are owned and operated from
this community.
København,
the hub of Danish shipping with strong Baltic ties. Some services and
equipment industries, home of shipping companies, management and operation.
A maritime cluster with a strong commercial element.
Svendborg/Marstal
area, the heart of a local shipping industry, depleted but struggling
on.
Århus-Ålborg-Skagen range in Jylland, Denmark, strong traditions
with a full maritime cluster, including fishing, but recent depletion,
particularly in shipbuilding.
Oslo/Oslofjord
area, an international shipping hub, strong shipowners, broker houses
and financial institutions. Weakening maritime impact and fewer service
providers, but some leading maritime electronic suppliers. Management
increasingly being sourced out.
Vestfold
and South Coast of Norway, emphasis on management, some service providers.
Western
Norway (Haugesund-Bergen-Kristiansund range) – a complete maritime
cluster with every facet of activity. A hands-on culture, close maritime
links, local seafarers, strong shipbuilding/equipment sector. A diversified
shipping and offshore involvement.
Back to SSG 7, August 23
Latest update 18-10-2006 8:49
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No 22/2008
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No 21/2008
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2002
