Kraks vejviser 1928 Handelsregister

DANISH SH IP P IN G etc. Navigation du Danemark — Danemarks Schiffahrt — La Navigacién de Dinamarca. The geographical position of Denmark, between the Baltic and the North sea—both of great importance for international commerce — togetlier with the faet of the country with its unusually long coast line possessing a large number of excellent harbours, is^responsible for the Danes having from olden times been one of the foremost seafaring nations in the world. Only three nations in Europe have a larger merchant fleet in proportion to the size of population viz: Norway, Gt. Britain and the Netherlands. The following figures show the size of the Danish mercantile marine in 1915 and in 1926. Only craft of over 20 gross reg. tons have been included:

1926 (lst Jan.) Number

1915 (lst Jan.)

Reg. tonnage

Reg, tonnage

gross

of ships

of ships

840.889 186.516 -10.225 39.151 40.212

659

720.159 48.476 8.026 6.727 84.076 867.464

Steamships........................ 651 Motor ships....................... 27 Fishing sail motor ships.. 244 Other sail motor ships . . . 126 Sailing vessels................... 870

97

326 508 285

Total 1918 1.116.993 The most characteristic feature of the development which has taken place since 1915 is the decline in the fleet of sailing vessels. On the other hånd the tonnage wholly or partly motor driven is now four times what is was in 1915. Motor ships are built in Danish yards and the development of this fleet is closely connected with the leading position OQCupied by the Danish Diesel-motor industry (Messrs. Burmeister & Wain). The Danish coastwise traffic in which some 2 miil. tons cargo is carried annually, is maintained with only very few exceptions by Danish vessels, the half of which are steamers and the other half sailing vessels. In'the maritime traffic between Denmark and foreign countries some 9 mili. tons of cargo was brought into Danish harbours and about 1.7 mili. tons shipped from Danish har­ bours in the year 1925. The apparent disproportion between these figures is due to the circumstances mentioned in the introduction to this Export Directory, namely that Denmark imports raw materials and auxiliaries and exports meliorated goods which in proportion to their value are less volu- minous. About one half of the foreign shipping trade is carried on by Danish vessels. Danish shipowners maintain a number of regular lines on European and over-sea places (see list of steamship and motorship lines page 207). In addition to this a considerable tramp business is carried on and likewise the Danish merchant fleet carries on an extensive freight trade between foreign ports (in the year 1925 about 7.1 mili. tons of goods) thereby contri- buting largely to equalizing the Danish Balance of Trade with foreign countries. In later years the total profit earned by the Danish mercantile marine through trading on foreign countries has been estimated at about 200 mili. Kroner per annum. The most important shipping trade organization is the Danish Shipowners Associa­ tion (Dansk Dampskibsrederiforening), Address: Amaliegade 33. Copenhagen K, Chairman: A. O. Andersen, K* DM. In proportion to its size the country possesses a very large number of harbours the more important of which are mentioned in the following particulars (see page 202—205). The sub-joined figures show the traffic on the largest of these ports in 1926: 1875