Editorial: Shipping is fantastic

Shipping is fantastic. Big money, international, and with opportunities like no other occupation both ashore and offshore.
Commercial shipping is usually concentrated in certain areas, which become shipping communities. And the Scandinavians have done it for years.

The ”Tallinn” in June 2002, later sold
as scrap.

In the year 2000, the city of Tallinn acquired a namesake ferry and sold it to be demolished a mere year later. Thus, this year the city made the Youth Maritime Club – that had occupied the Tallinn ferry for 20 years and served the maritime interests of Tallinn’s youth since 1959 – homeless.
For the seventh summer in a row, the children of the Youth Maritime Club have their summer camp at Pakri Bay.

Sister pair delivered to ambitious shipowner

Bulk Copenhagen: More than 400 bulk carriers controlled from Copenhagen
When a powerstation at Mumbai, India, receives a cargo of coal from Australia, it has crossed over a desk in Copenhagen. Also, when a cargo of soya arrives in Fredericia, Denmark, from Argentina, a cargo of pulpwood logs arrives in Norway from Brazil or a cargo of cement clinkers leaves Gdansk, Poland, for West Africa, it has most likely been over one of the many desks in the shipping offices in Copenhagen.
“Bulk Copenhagen” is what one could call a phenomenon which has developed over some years.

Copenhagen – Commercial corner in international triangle
Copenhagen has become the commercial centre in a triangle going from Tallinn, Estonia, to Copenhagen and further on to Oslo, Norway. That is a fact after the Danish shipping company Otto Danielsen became part of the Norwegian Felix Tschudi Group. That happened in May, when Ulla Danielsen, the last of the Danielsen-family, sold the company to Felix Tschudi.

Axel Nielsen (left) and Poul Bresling has signed up for two more newbuildings
at the age of 173 years (together).

Well-known Danes sign up for coasters
Although St Petersburg is a popular cruise destination, the people from this city of millions of citizens are offered a poor selection of opportunities for marine travel – there are connections to Finland, Estonia and Germany only once or twice a week.

Hapag steamer “Palatia” at one of the eight bridges built on the Kiel Canal, 1895.

The ups and downs of the Kiel Canal
It must have been a magnificent sight on that June day in 1895. At anchor off Kiel was the naval pride of Europe – no fewer than 106 warships along with a cluster of royal yachts. It was the lavish inauguration of the 98 kilometres long Kaiser Wilhelm Canal and the realization of a dream to link the North Sea and the Baltic that had been on men’s minds for more than a thousand years.

Haugalandet: The herring is gone – but shipping still flourishes
An incessant smell of herring is no longer noticeable in Haugesund on the West Coast of Norway, but people still talk of the fabulous riches from the sea, which were the very foundation on which the city was built all those years ago.

A strong offshore presence
When American oil companies first found oil on the Norwegian Continental Shelf in the late 1960s, some Norwegian owners were quick to realize the potential to supply offshore installations and drilling units, but none of the Haugesund companies were really interested in this new venture.

Extensive maritime infrastructure
Maritime activities at sea depend on an extensive onshore backup and infrastructure to function effectively. Onshore facilities and services in the Haugaland and Sunnhordland area have so far been up to the job, but they are constantly being upgraded and improved. The cornerstones of the maritime services are the port facilities, offshore and subsea bases, yards and technical support.

No 24/2008

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No 6/2010

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