Ports have always been fascinating to me. People and ships come and go, farewells and arrivals string together like the pearls of a necklace, perpetually. My picture shows an arrival of the ferry Norröna in the port of Tórshavn, morning light and colorful, shining houses, local time 5 am. Beautiful, undisputed. But why did I particularly choose this picture? Because the seabirds, sailors and rocking boats of Tórshavn (short, in Faroese: “Havn”) have news to tell.
Smyril Line, the largest shipping company in the Faroe Islands, is preparing a comprehensive fleet renewal to gear the company for future growth and the green transition. The company's CEO, Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, explained this to Søfart - a Danish trade magazine that keeps the industry updated on news from ports, shipping companies, maritime manufacturers, shipbrokers and shipyards. In March, the Smyril Line Group had held its annual general meeting. The result for 2021 showed a surplus of 16 million DKK. Lately, in a press statement it was said that “sales' prospects for 2022, concerning both freight and tourism, are looking reasonably good. After two years of low passenger numbers (Corona Pandemic), the demand has increased again, and the increasing demand for travel is seen in the hotels.“
What else is new? Smyril Line has long wanted to consolidate all its on-land activities under one roof - in “Havn”, of course. This will finally become a reality in 2024 when the company’s new headquarters is expected to be completed. “We have suffered from a lack of space for many years, especially in our cargo department, with the consequence that we have had to spread out our activities over three different buildings in Tórshavn,” Jens Meinhard Rasmussen told Søfart. “In our new headquarters, we will have a passenger terminal, a warehouse and offices all under one roof. Together with our architects, we will construct a building which will become an iconic feature of the port of Tórshavn.” The project is currently at the planning stage, so the exact project cost has not yet been determined, as it was heard.