Editorial:Competence, competence …. In trying to read the temperature of the shipping industry in our region – the North Sea Baltic Sea Range – we are witnessing vigour and progress on many quarters. Thanks to the strong development in German shipping – which promises to come out as the leading maritime nation in terms of invested value by 2008 – our region’s share of the world fleet appears to be nearing 20 per cent.

The North Sea Baltic Sea region: Profit and progress
At a time when China is accredited as the driving factor in the shipping market, shipping and sea transportation have been brought into public focus in our region of the world, too. The reason is largely the increasing flow of oil and gas from Russia and the Arctic areas through the sensitive waters of the Baltic and the Barends Sea, which has brought up the issue of navigational safety and environmental protection.

Fleet grows in size and number
The Danish merchant fleet took the same course in 2004 as in 2003, but with much more profit on the market than the year before.

SvitzerWijsmuller:
Expanding in the Far East and Far West

Coaster owners trying new ways
It is nearly a sensation in the Danish fleet: a second-hand coaster is purchased by a Danish owner! Over the last decade or even more, the Danish coaster fleet has been decreasing and ship after ship has been sold to owners abroad.

Passenger fleet growing in Estonia
One could conclude that Estonian shipping companies are doing well as during the past year, one brand new and several second-hand passenger ships were added to the Estonian Ship Register.

Estonian merchant fleet fading away

Negative trend continues
The share of Finnish-flagged vessels in Finland’s international sea transports decreased in 2004. Unfortunately, this was not accidental but rather a long-term trend.

Neste Shipping’s new product carrier “Jurmo” was added to the fleet in 2004.
PÄR-HENRIK SJÖSTRÖM

Tankers dominate the fleet
More than a third of all vessels controlled by Swedish owners are tankers, and they also dominate the current order book.

China the key to continued growth

Caution tempers record fleet expansion

Owners keep pledge to flag back

Vessels and seamen under different flags
There are not that many cargo and passenger ships sailing under the Latvian flag, but there are more seamen in Latvia than Latvian shipowners are able to employ on their ships.

The Lithuanian fleet remains under the Lithuanian flag

Recovering from gloom
At a time in history when world seaborne trade grows by almost ten per cent a year and with peaking shipping profit, the Norwegian shipping industry continues to slide.

Surfing on the waves of the boom
Most people seem to agree that the current upward trend in shipping originates from China, globalisation and the current changes in the trade routes. An intense stream of raw material, semi-manufactures and finished products has led to an increase in the demand for transports.

Shipping software faces a challenge
Owners do not operate their vessels for altruistic reasons. Rather, they are in the shipping business to make money. This is why owners themselves are always on the lookout for any technology, which can ease operations of vessels and streamline the back-office.

No 12/2008

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