SSG No 10 - Shipgaz

The NBSR maritime communities are distinctly different,
each with its characteristics. The Finnish maritime cluster
has an emphasis on its national export and import trade,
with a strong shipbuilding sector.
Sweden has a large element of shipping logistics by ferry
and cargo services, but also a thriving group of tanker
owners and some world-class shipping names.
Denmark has a core of large and diversified companies,
but above all a global trading network with Copenhagen
as the centre.
Traditionally a cross-trader nation, Norway is still strong
in niches and with an extensive cluster of maritime industries
including shipbuilding and financial services.
Russia, which is a genuine party to the NBSR, is important
by its vast resources and trade flows. Much of the
shipping activities have been taken international, in management
and chartering, but the current upturn is benefiting
the regeneration of the fleet.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been rebuilding a new
Although the emphasis may be different,
there are also similar kinds of operation
across the region. Shortsea bulk operators
are found everywhere, product tanker
owners in most countries, aframax owners
likewise, ferry companies, logistic providers,
container terminals, repair yards. And
so on.
There are important fields of cross-fertilization:
Baltic shipyards servicing Scandinavian
ships, Norwegian shipbuilders
relying heavily on steel work from Polish,
Baltic and Russian subcontractors, Baltic
and Polish seafarers hired by Scandinavian
shipowners. The strength of such
cooperation is a sharpened competitive
edge to the Scandinavians; markets, giving
jobs and competence building in return to
the southern shore of the Baltic Sea.
The political changes in the early 1990s
have indeed opened new bridges and tradeflows,
brought new opportunities and generated
massive investment, much of which
with a maritime aspect.
Spanning the world
The shipping communities across the Nordic
Baltic region are extensive and diverse,
with strong service sectors. Traditionally,
the maritime cluster has been divided into
national spheres, which makes it hard to
grasp its totality.
Our region boasts some of world-class
names in liner shipping, A.P. Møller-Mærsk
and Wallenius Wilhelmsen, tanker owners
like Frontline, Maersk, Torm, Stena Bulk,
Concordia, Nordic American, Lundqvist,
Prisco, Novoship, Norden, etc. Knutsen
SHIPPING AND SHIP MANAGEMENT
The characteristic communities of NBSR
LArgeSt nBSr fLeetS By JAnuAry 1, 2007:
Number of vessels DWT
Denmark 684 21,251,000
Norway 1,424 47,971,000
Russia 1,523 16,907,000
Sweden 327 6,244,000
Source: ISL-Bremen
maritime industry from the old state-owned giants, with a
score of smaller companies coming up in the shortsea sector
and a good number of service providers in shiprepair, etc.
The Polish shipbuilding industry has been going
through a difficult period, although the smaller yards are
thriving and Polish maritime labour have long been being
exported to Scandinavia.
Germany, which may in part be considered a NBSR
party, has been going through an expansion of dramatic
proportion, the fleet being more than doubled in ten
years, and with a thriving cluster of related industries.
OAS and Teekay Norway are the leading
in shuttle tankers. Many of the leading
chemical tanker operators are found in
the NBSR, Odfjell Seachem, JO Tankers,
Eitzen Chemical, Broström, Lasco and
Bryggen.
In the smaller range of products and
chemicals there are operations like Clipper-
Wonsild, Uni-Tank, Nordtank fronting several
Swedish owners, Herning, Tärntank,
Utkilen, Stenersen, and gas carrier operations
by BW Gas, Maersk, Solvang, Eitzen
Gas, Lauritzen, Norgas, etc.
Strong presence
The presence in dry bulk is particularly
strong, with the majority of the tonnage
owned elsewhere; Clipper, Norden, Klaveness,
Golden Ocean, Lauritzen Bulkers,
THE SCANDINAVIAN SHIPPING GAZETTE • MAY 21 2007 25