In January, a co-operation of long standing with Vesteraalen
Shipping, Sortland, Norway results in the Norwegian company CTG -
Coldstore and Transport Group - appointing us sales and port agents
for their liner service calling at Esbjerg every week from the
Norwegian west coast with frozen products.
On 1 February, Blue Water Greenland in Nuuk moves to new
facilities, and Odense follows suit in 28 February, as facilities
are more than doubled. On 1 October, employees from Scan Euro
become part of the Odense team. Aalborg and Copenhagen likewise
move offices, as more space is needed.
Activities in the Skaw are transferred to Torben Madsen
Fiskeformidling Aps (BWS owns 50% of the shares).
In the USA, agency cooperation is agreed with Lynden
International, and the oil rig transport from Singapore to Baku is
finally completed successfully.
Blue Water become member of IELA - International Exhibition
Logistic Associates - a worldwide association of exhibition
forwarders with 92 members including Blue Water as member number 2
in Denmark, and participate in more exhibitions and trade shows
than ever before.
A reorganization of the company - into three cargo related
divisions - is initiated:
On 1 Feruary, a cooperation was established with CCC - Consol
Container Corporation GmbH, Hamburg - for the worldwide groupage
transport to 240 overseas destinations.
Due to the decreasing oil prices in late 1998 and subsequent
reluctance by oil companies to invest, Blue Water's O & E
development group is dissolved.
In April and May, the first two shipments for Keppel Fels, from
Singapore to Baku at the Caspian Sea, are effected. The gigantic
rig parts were shipped on heavy lift vessels from Singapore to
Mariupol at the Black Sea for transhipment to Russian river vessels
and barges for further transportation through the Volga/Don river
system to the Caspian Sea. The biggest transport project in the
company's history went off without a hitch.
Blue Water Dublin moves office and is reduced in size.
Work pressure in connection with HAL cruise liners, Blue Water
Amsterdam moves to larger facilities.
In Greenland, Blue Water opens a second office in Sisimiut to look
after trawlers.
A two-year contract is signed with the Faroese shipping line,
Smyril Line, based on transport of fresh Faroese fish in trailers
by ferry to Hanstholm for onward carriage to our Padborg terminal.
From Padborg further distribution of the fish is arranged through
our normal fish services to the South of Europe.
A special food division is established in Esbjergon 1
October.
Blue water opens in Aktau, Kazakhstan to strengthen service to the
oil industry in Central Asia.
Blue Water is introduced on the internet with its own home page -
www.bws.dk.
Blue Water Aarhus moves office again, as staff numbers increase
considerably. Blue Water Kolding also moves office, and a new
office is opened in Billund Airport.
Over the year, various changes and extensions are made in the
Scandinavian agency network. On 1 April. Blue Water takes over
"Kartoffelpakhuset" (storehouse of approx. 5000 sqm.) - on a joint
ownership basis with the potato exporter Danespo.
A record number of trainees was employed to the Danish offices -
26 shipping/forwarding trainees, 2 accounting trainees and 1
warehouse trainee.
Blue Water enters the American reefer market with the chartering
of the m/s "Akebona Star".
Following tough negotiation in Singapore, Blue Water is awarded
the transport contract for a giant drilling rig from Singapore via
the Black Sea to Baku. To supervise the two-year project, Blue
Water opens an office in Singapore.
Blue Water Colchester and Ipswich merge in Ipswich. Blue Water
Aberdeen and Manchester also move to new locations.
The implementation of Lotus Notes for all personnel is
initiated.
The development in Central Asia continues. In May, Blue Water
opens in Tbilisi, Georgia, an important freight corridor between
the Black Sea and Central Asia.
Blue Waters office in Aberdeen now primarily handles transport for
the oil & gas industry, as Strandfaraskip Landsins' service
from the Faroes is closed down.
On 1 September, the silver jubilee anniversary of Blue Water is
celebrated with a big reception party in Esbjerg.
Blue Water Baku is awarded a big contract with BP for the Shah
Deniz project, and in Esbjerg, an important agency contract is made
with Bredero Price for their numerous vessels calling at Esbjerg
with coated pipes. A new division, Oil & Energy, is established
to meet the steadily increasing demands within this special
field.
For the first time since 1986, Blue water has no shipment of feta
cheese for MD Foods to Iran. Blue Water, Fredericia closes
down.
Blue Water establishes a shipping office in Valencia, and the
Barcelona office is appointed IATA airfreight agent. In late April,
a partnership is formed with A & N, Baku for the establishment
of Blue Water Caspian. Great things are expected from the
activities in connection with the oil industry and also from the
transport activities - especially food transport. Blue Water's two
Dublin offices merge.
A new organisation is introduced following careful analyses:
In July, Blue Water London and Ipswich amalgamate into one office in Colchester. With the opening of an office in Kolding, Blue Water becomes part of the German express and distribution system - CTL.