DMA’s New Arrangement Provides Fast Assistance to Shipowners (Denmark)

The point of contact arrangement of the Danish Maritime Authority ensures that shipowners quickly receive qualified assistance from the Danish Maritime Authority.

According to this arrangement, each shipowner is connected to a permanent team of ship surveyors with in-depth knowledge about the company and its special needs.

“This arrangement makes it easier to be a shipowner in Denmark, and it also makes my work involving regular contact with the authorities easier. There is no unnecessary waiting time and the processes run smoothly. I think that it’s a fine initiative”, says General Manager, SQE Robert Degn Nielsen from Torm.

The arrangement will become permanent and apply to everyone

The arrangement was established on the basis of a request from the industry and has since May this year been running as an experiment. But due to the positive evaluations, the Danish Maritime Authority has de¬cided to make the arrangement permanent. In addition to offering shipowners improved and more efficient service, the intention is to make it easier for new shipowners to set up business in Denmark or to transfer ships to the Danish flag.

”Where a shipowner decides to set up business is often, first and foremost, an economic question, but it is also important whether the maritime administration in the relevant country is easy to contact. Once a coun¬try gets a reputation as a place with no outlook where everything is difficult, it is definitely a disadvantage”, says Robert Degn Nielsen.

An advantage to shipowners with offices in several countries

Robert Degn Nielsen also stresses that the arrangement is a great advantage to shipowners with offices in several countries since sometimes surveyors in other countries have difficulties finding the right contact. The arrangement ensures that someone from the PoC group will always revert quickly.

Promotes cooperation and knowledge sharing

The ship surveyors from the Danish Maritime Authority who have been involved are also positive and can see the potential of the arrangement.

”The arrangement has promoted the dialogue with the shipowners, and it gives us a chance of getting into more detail with the challenges that there may be. Also as an expert it is very satisfactory to experience that we can solve much up-front”, says Ship Surveyor Jette Bloch Arrias from the Danish Maritime Authority, who is one of the surveyors who have been part of the experiment.

Also Head of Centre Lars Gerhard Nielsen is enthusiastic about the arrangement:

“We are very interested in contributing to making the shipowners’ work easier and, thus, making Denmark a more attractive place to set up a shipping business. In addition, the arrangement keeps us in closer contact with the shipowners, thus promoting both knowledge sharing and general cooperation,” says Lars Gerhard Nielsen.

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DMA, October 15, 2012;