Danish Ambassador Rene Dinesen has toasted burgeoning trade links with the Humber, with butter boat beginnings and next generation offshore wind highlighted on a visit.
And with maritime trade a constant throughout more than 150 years of international commerce, it was DFDS Seaways’ expanding operations at Port of Immingham that provided the ideal host location.
Mr Dinesen, appointed last year, enjoyed lunch on new roll-on roll-off vessel Hollandia Seaways, having been welcomed on board by Captain Mykola Timofyeyev and DFDS managing director Andrey Byrne.
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Prior to that he was given a tour of the port facilities, where at least 35 services a week operate from, carrying food, steel, timber and cars. He also heard how great strides were being taken to clean up seaborne transport.
Ambassador Dinesen said: “It is certainly a most impressive operation that DFDS runs here in Immingham that all started with the Danish ‘butter boat’ one and a half centuries ago. The continued development of the transport business and infrastructure is essential to the trade flow and a greener future. I am proud to see DFDS, as one of the busiest shipping companies in the UK, taking the lead by working to reduce its carbon footprint by 45 per cent by 2030.”
Mr Byrne also welcomed Simon Bird, Associated British Ports’ regional director on the Humber; Paul Sylvester, divisional director for road haulage at DVS and Richard Crossick, head of public affairs at Orsted.
He said: “We were delighted to welcome Ambassador Dinesen to the Port of Immingham and to show him first hand the important and varied work that is carried out here to keep Britain and Europe moving through the flow of goods in and out of the port. It was also an opportunity to speak about the current prospects and challenges in the supply chain.
“DFDS is a Danish company and so it was our great pleasure to welcome representatives of fellow Danish companies Orsted and DSV, along with Simon Bird from Associated British Ports, to join us on the day. It was a great day and a pleasure to be able to promote the work that all our teams do at the Port of Immingham.”
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