The spring of 2010 sees a continious increase in activities, and the many adjustments from 2009 contibute to a positive year end result.
On the other hand, the crisis hits our offices outside of Europe with delay. These offices are depending on the situation in the energy sector and are thus forced to lower activity levels. The same goes for some departments mainly handling reefer transports, where market conditions such as political situations tend to affect.
Large initiatives during this year include a 2 year contract with the Danish Defence for transports between Denmark and North America - a contract which is expected to have a positive impact on several Danish and American Blue Water offices.
Based from Esbjerg, Blue Water POrt Services are established with the aim to service Siemens Wind Power from all Danish ports with the loading and unloading of vessels, and service and mounting in respect of wind turbine shipments.
Bestseller is now a significant client in terms of parcel distribution to Ireland, Great Britain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxenbourg, Austria, the North Atlantic and Denmark. To handle this special activity, a parcel department has been set up in Esbjerg, handling in excess of 6 mill. parcels in one year.
In Shanghai and Rio de Janeiro, new offices are opened to handle projects in oil, gas and wind energy.
Following Smyril Line's change of Danish port of call from Esbjerg/Hanstholm on the route from Denmark to the North Atlantic, Blue Water decides to close the department in Hanstholm and give greater priority to Hirtshals.
In Esbjerg, the construction of Blue Water's new headquarters is commenced immediately next to the existing headquarters.
After a financial crisis hitting in the end of 2008, 2009 is a year of waiting for new and better times, not only for Blue Water but also for our clients, colleagues and business partners around the world.
Very few companies in the business are unaffected by the crisis and it becomes necessary to adapt to current conditions. At Blue Water a similar process is initiated, adjusting resources and costs.
Initially, the crisis hits Blue Water's Danish offices, and offices in which our activities are based on traditional transport of general cargo. Offices involved in niche activities such as oil, gas, wind energy, project cargo and food are largely unaffected in the beginning.
Reagrdless of the extent of the crisis, 2009 is a year in which Blue Water has to pick up speed. Those initiatives which have been planned for a long time, are carried out - including the move to new facilities in Holland by Blue Water Barendecht in the spring.
In Malaysia, a new office is opened in Port Klang - an investment for the office in Singapore, which already has many assignments in Malaysia and now has locals on the spot to develop the business.
A second sub-department is opened on the island of Romoe, managed from the broker department in Esbjerg and ready to offer our services if/when the erection of offshore wind turbines in the German sector of the North Sea is begun.
2008
At the beginning of the year, we are given the opportunity of taking over Unifeeder's
freight forwarding activities, which includes departments in Aarhus, Copenhagen and Oslo as well as acquiring Gran Spedisjon AS in Oslo - providing Blue Water with a platform for business in Norway. Furthermore, an office is set up in in Vantaa (Helsinki), giving Blue Water full representation by own offices in all of Scandinavia.
At the turn of the year, port-related activities in Esbjerg are turned into a new division - Blue Water Marine & Energy A/S - which includes our terminals, stevedoring, agency, project and offshore departments. A service centre for Tubular Service and a pipe yard for Dong E&P Offshore Base is established in the port of Esbjerg, and shipment of wind turbines continues to be a growing business
Iin the autumn, our warehouse for general cargo is moved from the port to a more modern terminal at the address of Lillebæltsvej.
Staff from Otto Hansen & Co A/S, Vejle is transferred to Billund and Aarhus, as Blue Water takes over the company, and several offices and terminals are expanded (Aalborg terminal extension, new office buildings in Padborg and Billund, new facilities for Dublin, Sao Paulo and Qingdao as well as upgrade of Torshavn warehouse).
Late in the year, Blue Water opens an office in Doha, Qatar, and we establish partnerships with Groep H. Essers in Belgium, Odino Valperga and Gruber Logistics in Italy and Samson Logisitcs
in Cyprus.
A lot of things happen in Blue Water around the world as we realize that the global crisis is not just a temporary phenomenon. However, the event of the year is no doubt the royal visit by his Royal Highness Prince Henrik at our head office in Esbjerg.
The end of 2006 and begin of 2007 sees the opening of two new
Blue Water offices - in Bremen, Germany and Gothenburg, Sweden.
With activities increasing in Greenland, a third office is opened
in Ilulissat.
The road traffic between Denmark, England and Ireland makes rapid
progress, and new agency agreements are made for road activities
for Portugal, France and Spain. In Italy, Blue Water takes over the
agent role in connection with road traffic.
The most important event of the year - for Blue Water - takes
place on 21 April in Esbjerg. Kurt Skov transfers 75% of the
company shares to a commercial foundation "The Blue Water
Foundation" to secure Blue Water's future; its identity,
independence and growth.
On the same occasion, the future board of directors is introduced
including two new members; Esbjerg's Mayor Johnny Sotrup and the
former managing director of DFDS, Ole Frie.
Blue Water Odense moves to brand new facilities in the
south-eastern part of Odense on14 May.
An extra vessel is chartered to the Denmark/Faroe service during
the busy summer season to cope with the demand. Furthermore Smyril
Blue Water purchase 30 new trailers and Blue Water enters as
shareholder in Smyril Line on 29 August.
Blue Water France celebrates its 25 year silver jubilee with a
dinner cruise off Brest for clients, business connections and
staff.
In the autumn, Blue Water enters into various contracts, e.g.
transport of a FSO (special tanker) from Singapore to Baku,
Azerbaijan. The job will be carried out during the summer of 2008.
Another contract is with Semco Maritime, in connection with
construction of power plants in Central America, which will take
place in the autumn of 2008.
On 1 March, Blue Water Rotterdam celebrates its silver
anniversary on board "De Majesteit" - an old paddle steamer in the
port of Rotterdam.
Also in March, Blue Water takes over the US activities of
Transglobal and its staff of 11 people in Copenhagen, Rotterdam,
New York and Los Angeles.
In the Middle East, activities are spread to include a small
office and warehouse in Jebel Ali, between Dubai and Abu
Dhabi.
Blue Water is awarded warehouse and logistics activities for
cruise line Holland America Line in Florida and as a result opens
an office in Fort Lauderdale.
The rapid growth within road and intermodal traffic between
Denmark/Scandinavia and Italy results in the establishment of Blue
Water Milan in September.
European road traffic continues to expand with weekly departures
to Turkey, daily departures to Stavanger, round trips to the Czech
Republic, Slovakia and Hungary and increased activity to Austria
and Switzerland.
Blue Water projects is established in Barcelona, as windmill
activities get busier than ever.
Smyril Blue Water's first operational year is successful, and the
oil and energy sector result in many interesting projects
worldwide.