Operating survey for vessels in water transport, 2008

Total gross freights for enterprises engaged in foreign going trade amounted to NOK 108.4 billion in 2008. This is an increase of 0.4 per cent from 2007. The net operating margin was 20 per cent in 2008, compared with 27 per cent in 2007. The operating result reached NOK 21 billion in 2008, over NOK 7 billion less than in 2007. The reason is that while total gross freight income had an increase of just 0.4 per cent, the total operating costs had an increase of 10 per cent in the same period.

Increased freight income in liner trade

Enterprises in liner trade for transportation of goods had an increase in their freight income. Gross freight income for these enterprises amounted to NOK 20.5 billion in 2008, compared to NOK 15.5 billion in 2007. This represented an increase of 33 per cent.

Significant increase in operating costs

Total operating costs for vessels in foreign going trade amounted to NOK 88.1 billion in 2008. This was over NOK 8 billion more than in 2007; an increase of 10 per cent from 2007. Operating costs related to commissions for charterers, brokers and agents decreased by 9 per cent, while operating costs related to administration and management of ships increased by 46 per cent.

Costs for lubrication oil sank by 34per cent and costs for loading and unloading went up by 40 per cent from 2007 to 2008. The costs for gross salary and social benefits for vessel crews increased by 2.0per cent, from NOK 7.3 billion in 2007 to NOK 7.4 billion in 2008.

Tables:

• Table 1 Operating survey for vessels in foreign going trade. 2004-2007
• Table 2 Operating survey for vessels in foreign going trade, by type of vessels. 2007-2008
• Table 3 Sea and coastal water transport excluding ocean transport. Turnover specified by type of service. Enterprise. 2007-2008