“Our core market is Handysize,” says Frank G. Jensen, the managing director of Clipper Bulk A/S. “Our bulk carrier business is relatively young - it started in 1991 - but our shipping traditions go back another 20 years in time to 1972. Through many mergers and acquisitions, we have grown our business to where we are today.”

Clipper Bulk operates approximately 125 bulk carriers, from Handysize to Handymax and Panamax sizes, and its goal is to be among the top five global players. The whole Clipper Group, which is made up of some 100 companies, controls some 250 vessels, 100 of which it owns.
Clipper Bulk operates in both the contract and spot markets and has cargoes ranging from dry bulk products like grain, petroleum coke, cement, fertiliser, coal, chemical products and mineral products to break bulk products, comprising bagged/unitised agricultural and forest products, steel products and pipes and alumina products, and heavy lift cargoes.
“Back in 1991, we owned six ships – today we have 125 in our bulk fleet – most of which we own,” adds Søren Halsted, the managing director of Clipper Group A/S. “We also have a number of vessels under construction and currently transport some 50 million tonnes of cargo per year. We’ve worked with naval architects on design elements such as double hulls, large hatches, shallow drafts and grabs. We believe it is important to build ships with double hulls as this is the long-term direction in which shipping is moving, with more focus on safety and the environment.”
“We’re pleased that all the companies operating out of the Copenhagen shipping cluster are doing quite well. The driving force behind it all was, and still is, AP Møller. However, there is now a huge amount of know-how in the Copenhagen area which is the most important factor ensuring Copenhagen’s leading role. It’s easy to recruit people, including young people. For students, there is even an MBA in shipping offered at the Copenhagen Trade College,” says Jensen, adding that Denmark’s favourable tax system and the good practical support from the current government are important success factors. “The daily operation of our vessels is performed in the Bahamas, where all the vessels are registered. The technical management is also carried out there, leaving us to coordinate the operations,” he adds.
“Most of Clipper’s crew are Indians and personnel from Central and Eastern Europe. They’re highly educated and skilled and have a great attitude to Clipper, our operations and customers as well as the safety measures we build into our tonnage,” concludes Halsted.”

Date: 07 February 2008