Operating survey for vessels in water transport, 2006

The gross freights for enterprises engaged in vessels in foreign going trade were down by 1 per cent compared with 2005. The total gross freights for the industry amounted to almost NOK 105 billion in 2006.

Decreased income from voyage freight in 2006

The income from voyage freights dropped by 24.0 per cent compared with 2005. In the same period the time charter income from foreign charterers was down by 18.2 per cent. There was also a 24.5 per cent reduction in income from bareboat freights to Norwegian charterers.

Income boost for supply vessels

Time charter income for supply vessels operating on the Norwegian shelf increased by 55.8 per cent from 2005 through 2006. The income from contracts of affreightment, liner freights and time charters from Norwegian charterers increased by roughly 50 per cent in the same period.

New definition of operating costs

The total operating costs for operating vessels in foreign going trade amounted to NOK 79.1 billion in 2006. This was slightly more than in 2005, mainly because other costs not directly related to the operation of the vessels are included in the statistics for 2006. When these costs are excluded, the total operating costs were a little below the level of 2005.

Increased bunker costs

Bunker costs and loading and unloading costs increased by 15.6 and 34.1 per cent, respectively, in 2006 compared with 2005. Other voyage dependent costs were down by 10.9 per cent in the same period.

While the total costs paid for time charter hire constituted NOK 27.9 billion in 2005, the corresponding figure for 2006 was almost NOK 25 billion. The bareboat costs, on the other hand, increased in the same period.

Tables:

• Table 1 Operating survey for vessels in foreign going trade. 2004-2006