The maritime industry plays a vital role within the dynamic Danish economy. One of the key players in this sector is Lauritzen Bulkers, a company deeply rooted in Danish maritime history.
With decades of experience in the handysize dry bulk ocean transport market, Lauritzen Bulkers is a trusted major operator of bulk carriers engaged in ocean transport of dry bulk cargoes worldwide. Having been in business since 1884, the company has established a solid reputation built on enabling global trade through intelligent seaborne solutions — and a significant chunk of this business is with Japan.
“Our business with Japan has, to a great extent, been the backbone of the development of Lauritzen,” Niels Josefsen, CEO of Lauritzen Bulkers, shared. “We are almost as old as the trade relationship between Denmark and Japan,” he added, referencing the 155th anniversary of bilateral relations between the countries.
To date, the company’s business is intertwined with Japan, both as a supplier for vessels and cargo. “The connection with Japan is not only in vessels — that, of course, is the first thing that comes to mind since Japan is a shipbuilding nation — but we also carry a lot of cargo into Japan. We just signed a three-year contract carrying biofuel into Japan, to the new power plants that are burning biofuel rather than coal,” he added.
Moreover, with headquarters in Copenhagen and overseas branch offices in Singapore, the United States, Dubai and Hong Kong, Lauritzen Bulkers is poised not only to drive greater business with Japan, but also to continue creating growth for communities around the world.
Owing to their scalability and adaptability, the company was highly successful in 2021. They not only maintained thriving operations, but also opened their Hong Kong office to steer greater business ventures in Asia. Furthermore, the result enables further expansion both in the owning and period-chartering businesses to growing the present fleet size beyond 80 vessels. “Our DNA is about reliability and trustworthiness also through difficult times. We are also known for our craftsmanship, also one reason we are where we are today. We focus on handysize, which is complicated, and craftsmanship is needed. We now also practice a more data-driven type of portfolio management. All these aspects will be the foundation of our future growth,” Josefsen noted.
