D/S Norden

Early years

D/S Norden is one of Denmark's oldest shipping companies, founded in 1871 by Mads Christian Holm. It was named after its first vessel, a Glasgow-built steamship. The company is composed of a dry cargo and a tanker division.

Merger with D/S Orient

In the years after World War II, D/S Norden entered into an operational collaboration with D/S Orient. In 1946 Orient began to buy shares. The acquisitions continued until Orient in 1955 was granted the status of majority shareholder in D/S Norden. The majority shareholder of D/S Orient was another shipping company, A/S Motortramp, founded on 15 July 1925 by Orient's vice-chairman Arnold Eugen Reimann.

In 1962, Orient's director Aage A. Tonboe became D/S Norden's 4th CEO, and immediately.

21st century

In 2002 rival shipping company DS TORM tried to take over NORDEN. Despite resistance from some shareholders, TORM eventually gained control of almost 33% of NORDEN's shares. Although the takeover attempt was unsuccessful, rising stock prices meant that TORM held onto the shares until 2007.

Operations

Dry cargo

In dry cargo, NORDEN is one of the world’s largest operators of Supramax and Panamax dry cargo vessels and has activities in the Handysize and Post-Panamax vessel types as well.

Tanker

In tankers, NORDEN is active in the Handysize, MR and LR1 product tanker vessel types

The product tanker activities are operated through the Norient Product Pool, which is jointly owned by NORDEN and Interorient Navigation Company Ltd.

Fleet

NORDEN's fleet is among the most modern and competitive in the industry and the firm operates in total about 300 dry cargo- and tanker vessels (a mix of owned and chartered tonnage).