Are you updated on the latest maritime shipping news? Quite a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks in the Danish maritime industry. In order to stay updated on industry relevant news, we provide you with top five topics which are currently trending in the Danish shipping industry.
Floating nuclear power station hits Danish waters
On Thursday May 3rdthe world’s only floating nuclear power station entered Danish waters surrounding the island of Bornholm on its way from Saint Petersburg to Murmansk in Russia. The Russian nuclear power station, Akademik Lomonosov, is quite harmless, as it does not yet have any nuclear fuel on board. Therefore, there is no radiation hazard associated with the passage though Danish waters. Akademik Lomonosov will not receive nuclear fuel onboard until it arrives in Murmansk. Then it will continue to the final destination in northeastern Russia, where the nuclear power station will supply energy to the area surrounding Pevek, located in Siberia. On Saturday May 5th, Akademik Lomonsov left Danish waters north of Skagen to continue along the Norwegian coast.
The US continues to bring uncertainty in the market
The American President Donald Trump has yet again postponed the decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum from the EU, Canada and Mexico until June 1st. Trumps decision extends the uncertainty in the market, which already affects business decisions within the EU. US President Donald Trump has justified the new tariffs with reference to national security; however the EU Commission states that the EU should be fully and permanently freed from the tariffs as they can not be justified with national security arguments. If the US steel and aluminum toll-tariffs end up affecting Europe, the EU Commission will repay with new tariffs on a number of US goods.
“A simple tweet can go a long way”
The tense atmosphere between China and the United States, which has led to higher toll on a number of goods, is felt at the transporter Norden. Not so much on the turnover itself, but customers are more hesitant before ordering loads and shipments are not planned long into the future as before. They order what they need right now and wait and see what is happening in the market before they order the next shipment. Also, tariffs are slightly down even though tariffs are 25 – 30% higher in first quarter of 2018 compared to same period last year. The fact that US and China have stopped discussing trade restrictions on Twitter is a good thing according to Norden. This gives hope for more serious negotiations.
Denmark should take the lead in digitalization
The Danish Maritime Days took place on May 1-4, 2018 where a handful of hopeful industry experts and influencers discussed various key topics of the maritime industry with a focus on innovation and digitalization. On May 1stMaersk Lines Commercial Director, Søren Toft, opened Danish Maritime Days with a message, that Denmark should be a frontrunner in digitizing information within the shipping industry. He pointed out the need for innovation and strong alliances in order to continue the development so that Denmark remains one of the largest maritime nations.
Maersk chairman of the board changes company culture: It is okay to make mistakes
One of Denmark’s strongest corporate cultures is about to be modernized. During the last few decades the visionary Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller has built an organization based on a zero-defect culture with no room for errors. This has created a strong company where organizational and cultural changes are difficult. If Maersk is to succeed in transforming itself in a modern digital age, it requires a different setting compared to what the staff experienced under the direction of Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller. Which is why the new chairman of the board, Jim Hagemann Snabe, wish to change the company culture, giving employees the chance to experiment, make mistakes and prioritize their focus.
