Dampskibsselskabet “NORDEN”, or Steamship Company NORDEN as the name translates, operates no fewer than 110 bulk carriers globally in the two main segments of Handymax and Panamax. The company headquarters since 1892 are located in Amaliegade 49 in Copenhagen, but the company itself dates back to 1871 and thus celebrates its 135–year anniversary this year – Norden is based on shipping traditions.

Dampskibsselskabet “NORDEN” is active in both dry and tank transport and has the last ten years been in a remarkable growth phase especially in the drycargo market. In 1997 the company operated a fleet consisting of just four bulk carriers, but today the company tells a different story. Jacob Meldgaard, Senior Vice President in charge of NORDEN’s bulk business says “We have a two per cent share of the global dry bulk market – that leaves a 98 per cent market share that we are trying to get a larger part of”
A main factor to achieve the present position in the global drycargo market has been a continued strong customer focus. Jacob Meldgaard provides an example: “One thing we have done is specializing in cargoes such as cement clinker by studying the market and learning from our customers requirements. Our staff and crews now possess a lot of experience and know-ledge of how to handle cargoes like this. In addition to cement, we also transport coal, aluminium, fertilizer, grain, petcoke, sugar and steel”. The desire to be close to and understand the customers has also been a driving factor for NORDEN’s geographic expansion and today the company has offices in Singapore, Shanghai, Annapolis, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro in addition to its Copenhagen headquarters.
Behind the success is also the business-oriented nature that is embedded throughout the organisation. “Entrepreneurship is a tradition in Danish shipping” says Meldgaard. “Denmark is a country with a long maritime history and the Copenhagen shipping cluster is based on this. This also means that developing educational opportunities have a high priority as we will need shipping professionals in the future too”
With the large fleet NORDEN has reached its goal of achieving economies of scale and the company has the right capacity for serving key customers under long-term contracts, as well as being able to react and offer vessels for spot trading. Furthermore, to accommodate the future growth NORDEN has an extensive newbuilding programme.
At present Dampskibsselskabet
“NORDEN” employs 350 people all
together, some 124 are office workers while the remainder are ship crew members.
The company is listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange.

Date: 07 February 2008