Kraks Vejviser 1937 Handelsregister

299 The subjoined figures show the traffic on the largest ports in the ye<~ jgg-.

Ooods discharged and Ioaded, tons 6.002.877 1.754.866 1.475.929 740.306 670.843 466.700 292.577 284.584

Airivals

Copenhagen ....................... .. 25.432 Aalborg—Nørresundby . . . .. 5.985 A arhus.............................. .. 4.355 Odense.............................. .. 2.689 Esbjerg.............................. 989 Nyborg.............................. 679 Fredericia.......................... 989 Kalundborg ..................... .. 1.255 Kolding.............................. .. 1.750

282.449 Køge.................................. .. 1.260 ' 269.791 Randers.............................. 877 268.447 Nakskov............................ .. 2.416 266.551 Vejle.................................. 946 256.467 Horsens.............................. .. 1.161 254.405 Korsør................................ .. 1.392 235.250 Hobro—Mariager............. .. 1.139 209.748 Rønne ................................ .. 1.506 198.303 Svendborg ......................... .. 2.819 190.500 Shipping.

From the beginning of recorded history Danish traders crossed the seas to the West, South and North, returning home with booty and merchandise. In the period of Absolutism commerce and shipping were carried on in conjunction with the large oversea monopoly companies and merchant houses, but during the last century the shipping activities have, mainly for economical and technical reasons, gradually become a separate trade largely carried On by joint stock companies. At present there are 103 steamship companies in Denmark, with an aggregate Capital of 150 million Kroner, and 21 sailing vessel companies with a total Capital of 1,2 million Kroner. The characteristic feature of the development during the last 50 years has been the gradual supersession of the sailing vessel by the steamship, and to this comes now in the course of the last 20 years the rapid growth of the motor driven fleet, which has been fa- voured by the leading position occupied by Danish industry in the field of marine motor en- gines. During the great war the Danish commercial fleet suffered heavy losses, but these have long ago been made good, and the tonnage of the fleet at present is about 25°/0 greater than it was in 1914. The Danish shipowning concerns have at their disposal a fleet of good modern vessels, one third of which have been built during the last years. The Danish coastwise traffic in which some 2,6 miil. tons cargo are carried annually, is maintained with few exceptions by Danish vessels, half the cargo being conveyed in sailing vessels and the other half in steamships and motorships. In the maritime traffic between Denmark and foreign countries some 10,5 miil. tons of cargo was brought into Danish ports and about 2 miil. tons were shipped from Danish ports in the year 1935. The apparent disproportion between the forenamed figures is due to the circumstan- ces mentioned in the introduction to this Export Directory, namely that Denmark imports raw materials and auxiliaries, and exports meliorated goods which latter in proportion to their value are less voluminous. The sailing vessel tonnage is mostly employed in the coasting trade, carrying only about one sixth of the total traffic. Nearly one half of the quantity of goods moving in the trade with foreign countries is carried in Danish ships. Danish shipowners maintain a number of regular lines on European and oversea pla- ces (see list of steamship and motorship services page 316). In addition to this a considerable tramp trade is carried on and likewise the Danish merchant fleet carries on an extensive freight trade between foreign ports thereby contributing materially to equalizing the Danish balance of trade with foreign countries. In later years the total profit^ earned by the Danish mercantile marine as a result of trade on foreign countries is estimated at 180 miil. Kroner per annum. The largest Danish shipowning company is Det Forenede Dampskibs Selskab A/S (The United Steamship Co. Ltd.) founded in 1866. The share\ Capital of the company is Kr. 30.000.000 and it owns about one fifth of the total Danish tonbage. This company maintains the greater part of the services between the home ports, and the transportation of agricultural products to England. The largest fleet of motor ships is owned by Det Østasiatiske Kom­ pagni (The East Asiatic Co. Ltd.) for which company the Burmeister & Wain Yard in the year 1912 built the first Diesel motor ship „Selandia".