Denmark used to be one of the leaders around the world in shipbuilding. Over the decades, Danish shipbuilding and marine equipment industries had a really strong competition with Asia. Most importantly Japan, South Korea and China. In Denmark, these two industries have diverted after 1970. In the 1970s and 80s, Denmark had medium and large-sized shipyards and many suppliers of marine equipment. This all came to an end where Denmark stopped the flow of subsidies to the shipyard and B&W closed down in 1996. It was followed by closing down of big shipyards. The once powerful shipbuilding industry in Denmark – which had numerous employees and shipyards in all around the country – had been declined and many shipyards were shut down. The main reason of this fall was the competition with South Korea.

Then about six weeks before the other century has arrived, the Århus Flydedok was sold by auction. All marine equipments and shipyard were sold. Also in Fredikshavn, “Danyard” which was owned by the Lauritzen company, delivered its last ship on 14 December 1999 and then it was closed down. After that in Denmark, large shipyards closed down due to lack of orders. Today, these orders are being ordered from South Korea. Now instead of shipbuilding, new modern industries are growing in Denmark and also Danish shipyards are being taken over by windmill industries. Many of old employees who were working in shipbuilding industry, now are organized in National Union of Metalworkers  (Dansk Metalarbejderforbund, Dansk Metal). They are now working in the factories of the Vesta windmill group in Nakskov (Frederikshavn and Ringkøbing). Many workers are producing mill towers and wings instead of ships.

Decreasing of Production of Danish Shipbuilding

Production of Danish shipbuilding decreased more than half in fifteen years.

• 1985 – 444,000 tonnes, corresponding to 3.1% of world production
• 1995 – 419,000 tonnes, corresponding to 2.9% of world production
• 2000 – 150,000-200,000 tonnes (estimate), corresponding to 1% of world production

The following shipyards closed down in the course of 1999: Danyard Frederikshavn, Århus Flydedok, Nordsøværftet (Ringkøbing) and Svendborg Værft. At the beginning of 2000, the remaining shipyards building new ships were Ørskov Stålskibsværft and Danyard Aalborg- both privately owned – and Lindø Værft, the biggest shipyard in Denmark and owned by the Maersk group, which is itself owned by Mærsk Mckinney Møller, Denmark’s biggest shipping company. Denmark no longer had any state-owned shipyards.”

Decreasing of Production of Danish Employee Numbers

And also employee numbers in Denmark’s shipbuilding industry – in the building of new ships and repair work – decreased over the past fifteen years.

• 1985 – 15,400 employees
• 1995 – 10,500 employees
• 2000 – 5,000 employees

Now in Denmark, new industries have taken over old industries. Shipbuilding is not popular and other modern industries are growing.