Read in Danish

Dear reader

Welcome to FREJA’s newsletter, in which we want to share with you what is happening in our part of the transport and logistics world.

At the moment, we experience an increasing economic growth in society in general and an increased need for transportation services. Naturally, we find this to be good news, but we are also faced with some challenges. Unfortunately, new requirements and legislation, including special Danish rules for cabotage driving, means that there is a general lack of capacity, which makes it challenging to carry out customers' needs for transportation. We constantly try to launch new initiatives to attract and retain hauliers in order for us to comply with the current and future demands.

FREJA works actively with CSR matters. Being a transport & logistics company, we believe that we have a special responsibility to create a greener everyday life. We have recently presented our 2020 CSR report, and you can read more about this in our newsletter.

The golf event “Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA” was held under unusual circumstances this year because of COVID-19 restrictions, but in spite of that, we had four fantastic days in Himmerland the last weekend of May.

In connection with the merger between FREJA and SDK, three colleagues from FREJA’s sales department have moved into the same office as SDK at their location in Esbjerg. Meet them in this newsletter.

I hope you will enjoy reading this newsletter, and I wish all customers and partners a splendid summer.

The introduction of new Danish cabotage regulations has caused a shortage of capacity

Cabotage is a term used for domestic transports carried out by a means of transportation belonging to another country. Cabotage has been used for many years, but in 2021, new regulations were introduced in Denmark. The new regulations require that international drivers must be paid according to Danish salary standards. Moreover, the driver must present a valid employment contract and payslips if stopped at a checkpoint. Furthermore, all foreign hauliers must sign up online in a Danish register, and prior to any transport, the foreign haulier must list the following: date of the transport, the truck’s registration number, and personal data of the driver.

Since April 1^st, 2021, the Danish authorities have started to issue fines for drivers and hauliers who do not comply with the regulations 100% or make a mistake in the online registration. Unfortunately, this has imposed increased administrative burdens on the foreign hauliers and given them higher costs which they pass on to the forwarding company. In other cases, the foreign haulier chooses not to do cabotage driving in Denmark, and as a consequence, we need more Danish trucks to handle the transportations.

However, the capacity of Danish hauliers and trucks is not sufficient to meet the demand, and therefore, we experience an increasing capacity shortage.

We find it frustrating that rigid regulations and strict requirements have put us in a situation where we cannot fulfill our customers’ need for transportation. The overall desire to regulate the market for road transportations in the EU have been accounted for in the implementation of the EU mobility package, but unfortunately, the Danish special rules are an obstacle.

We do all we can to keep on attracting and holding on to hauliers while simultaneously using our trade association to point out the issues to the authorities.

We apologize for the development.

FREJA strengthens local relations in Esbjerg with a new office

In connection with the merger between FREJA Transport & Logistics Holding A/S and SDK A/S, three colleagues from FREJA have moved into the same office as SDK at the port of Esbjerg. Here, you can also find known Esbjerg companies within shipping and ship chartering such as Niels Winther Maritime and Juhl & Ehrhorn, which are also owned by SDK. The location at the port is the focal point for the city's business community. In close collaboration with the other SDK companies, the goal is to create new synergies to offer complete solutions within transport and logistics.

Kenneth Christensen, Senior Account Manager, Henrik Miche Pedersen, Senior Business Development Manager East & Central Europe, and Kasper Hansen, Sales Representative, have moved into the new FREJA office in Esbjerg. Together, they have more than 50 years of experience in the transport and logistics industry, and it is a deliberate choice that they will represent FREJA in Esbjerg. They have all settled down in Esbjerg and are active in the local community, especially the local sports community. Henrik is a member of the local cycling club 'Team Motion', whereas Kenneth and Kasper play golf in Esbjerg Golf Club. They are happy to develop FREJA in Esbjerg, and they believe that the location is the right choice.

“With the new office, we form a development department for FREJA, where the purpose is to get closer to our current customers and increase our presence for new customers. We are available as the customers' local partner on national and international transport and logistics solutions at competitive prices. We experience that the people of Esbjerg appreciate the personal contact and are very supportive locally. That is why we are pleased that FREJA has opened a base in Esbjerg so that we can be even more accessible to customers and offer them one-stop shopping within transport and logistics”, says Kenneth Christensen.

While many of the larger transport and logistics companies have moved out of the city, FREJA is instead looking forward to working from the new location, as Esbjerg offers many good business opportunities. The city is in the process of developing strongly commercial-wise, especially in the field of renewable energy.

“There are many exciting companies, where we see a good match with FREJA and the competencies we can offer. We hope that we can create new customer relationships and good partnerships so that together we can contribute to each other's development and in addition make Esbjerg even more attractive as a business city for companies”, says Kasper Hansen.

With more than 35 years of experience in transport and logistics, FREJA can offer professional advice and sparring as well as create solutions based on the customer's needs.

“Over the years, FREJA has invested a lot in IT and technology. That means that we can offer many different digital services including web booking, track & trace, environmental reporting, and our very own Business Intelligence platform, MyFREJA, where our customers have the opportunity to gain valuable insights into their transport activities. In addition to this, we are also experts in IT integrations and offer advanced integration options tailored to our customers. We have more than 25 offices spread across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and China as well as a large network of skilled agents in Europe and the rest of the world. We also have a large fleet of vehicles that can cover every customer's needs - large and small”, Henrik Miche Pedersen says.

FREJA looks forward to establishing close customer relationships in Esbjerg, and we aim to create an even stronger foundation in Southwest Jutland as the customers' preferred full-service provider within road, sea, and air.

If you want to know more about how FREJA can help you, feel free to reach out to Kenneth, Henrik, or Kasper.

FREJA Transport & Logistics A/S
Dagvej 3
DK-6700 Esbjerg

FREJA presents CSR report 2020

Social responsibility and sustainability are close to our heart, and we at FREJA are pleased to present the latest CSR report for the year 2020. This report marks the fourth CSR report for FREJA since 2017. In the report, we unveil the initiatives we have worked on in 2020 and the goals we have set to create a better environment and a more sustainable planet.

As a transport and logistics company, we believe that we have a responsibility when it comes to ensuring a greener environment. Our industry is crucial for society, as we contribute to the transport of necessary goods such as medicines, food, and hygiene products, but the effect of this is that the transport sector is responsible for 24% of direct CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. Our critical role in society has been particularly crucial during the pandemic. We have worked hard to keep the supply chains going around the world, and this could not be done without all our professional and dedicated employees on the roads and in the offices.

Despite the pandemic, we have maintained our focus on CSR and followed the planned strategy, as we do not believe that we can postpone our actions and efforts in this area. Since 2018, we have structured our work with CSR according to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Every year, we assess which areas we want to focus on, and in the year 2020, we worked with the following three SDGs:

• 3) Good health and well-being
• 8) Decent work and economic growth
• 12) Responsible consumption and production

Orderliness and responsibility are some of the cornerstones of FREJA, and therefore it is important for us to create a healthy working environment and good working conditions for our employees and drivers. This is also reflected in the SDGs that we have chosen to work with.

In the latest report, you can, amongst other things, read about what we do to create a good working environment, why rail freight is an environmentally friendly alternative to road transport, and how we have contributed to the fight against COVID-19.

You can read FREJA’s CSR report 2020 here or watch the video to get an insight into some of our CSR initiatives.

World-class golf in Himmerland, Denmark

This year, the golf tournament “Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA” was held under unusual circumstances. Usually, the four-day event attracts close to 80,000 spectator, but last year, the tournament was canceled due to corona, and this year it was in a very limited set-up.

“Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA” is a part of the PGA European Tour, and as the name indicates, FREJA was one of the main sponsors when the event came to Denmark in May. As the presenting sponsor, we could invite very few guests to see the event in Himmerland, and we took all necessary precautions to secure a safe environment.

In spite of limits and restrictions, we had four exciting and eventful days. The best Dane was Niklas Nørgaard Møller, who finished in a shared 8^th place. The winner was the defending champion Bernd Wiesberger from Austria. Bernd Wiesberger won by a total of 21 under par and secured himself important points at the world rankings, as well as the first price of almost DKK 2m.

FREJA wants to thank the guests who visited our tent. We are sorry that we could not invite more customers to attend this year. Now, we can only look forward to 2022 and hope that this will be a year with lots of festivities and spectators along the course.

Here are some pictures from the tournament (click on the pictures to see them in full size)

[caption id="attachment_29336" align="aligncenter" width="800"] One tank weighed about 120 thousand tonnes.[/caption]

In the world of international transport, anything is possible. But with foresight and good planning, delays caused by many unexpected twists and turns can be avoided. The Covid-19 epidemic is no longer an unexpected turn of events, but the Ever Given ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal in March was exactly the kind of event that is impossible to foresee when planning international project transport.

- Fortunately, we survived that too with only my heart taking a couple of extra beats, says Tom Lunabba, Project Director at FREJA Transport & Logistics Oy, about the recent project transport.

Ever Given was refloated before the project ship carrying the LNG tanks was in the Suez Canal. The Ever Given container ship has still not been unloaded, and the goods left in its holds are still missing from the shelves of shops in Europe.

Project Forwarding as a part of a major change

The LNG tanks arrived on schedule in Turkey in April. The tanks are part of a major global change as large ships and tankers switch from diesel and oil to gas. It was a long-term project that started already last year.

The LNG tanks were first transported to the port of Shanghai by barge, from where they were shipped and transported to Turkey. In Turkey, the tanks were loaded onto trailers and then transported by barge to the shipyard.

- Delays in this project were caused by problems at the ports.

Before reaching Shanghai, the ship stopped in Sri Lanka, where there was a shortage of terminal workers, and unloading took longer than usual due to the pandemic. The ship then faced a real traffic jam at the port of Shanghai.

- It is not an easy situation for shipping companies either, with costs of between 16 and 17 thousand dollars a day while the ship is waiting. In the world of semi-liner shipping, we operate in a world of reservations, and in this case, the problems in the Sri Lankan port messed up the schedule, and the ship missed its reservation and had to queue.

[caption id="attachment_29357" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Huge LNG tanks are part of a global shift in maritime transport from diesel and oil to gas.[/caption]

According to Lunabba, the girth of the LNG tanks, which was around six metres, was a decisive factor in this project transport. The length of the tanks was less than 26 metres.

- Sometimes, it is possible to get project shipments in container ships, but often it makes more sense to use heavy-lift ships to ensure that the unloading of the cargo goes smoothly.

Own fleet plays an important role in the smooth running of international transport

FREJA's advantage has been its extensive in-house capacity for road transport, with 850 trailers and 80 temperature-controlled trailers available to move goods out of Finland and to the main European ports.

Do you need project forwarding services? Don't hesitate to contact us!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G3Hs2rVPls

New Church Organ from Austria to Finland’s Worlds Heritage Site Suomenlinna

Although road transports from Austria to Finland is business as usual, this time it was not. FREJA had the honour to be the dedicated professional to transport a new church organ from Austria to Finland.

[caption id="attachment_28323" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Since the service platform could only accommodate one truck and there was only one suitable departure time per day, the transport had to arrive at the departure pier at exactly the right time.[/caption]

In Finland, the destination was the church of Suomenlinna. Suomenlinna is a famous tourist attraction and a maritime fortress with a base built for the Archipelago Fleet off the coast of Helsinki. Work on the fortress began in 1748.

Suomenlinna was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991 to preserve it as an example of 18th-century fortress architecture in Europe.
The international transport was the first direct truck transport to Suomenlinna for Aleksi Elo, the experienced Operational Manager of FREJA Finland responsible for imports and exports from Eastern Europe.

[caption id="attachment_28358" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Special thanks goes to the truck driver, Jiri, who played a crucial role in the success of the transport.[/caption]

- Road transports from Austria are routine and a daily job for us, but this one was special because of the destination, Suomenlinna. The island and the site is a familiar tourist destination for me, but I wanted to be 100% sure that the route was clear for our truck. I worked closely with the church sexton and the suppliers of goods for the church renovation to ensure the route and timing of the shipment.

[caption id="attachment_28302" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Suomenlinna is a famous tourist attraction and a maritime fortress with a base built for the Archipelago Fleet off the coast of Helsinki.[/caption]

Import from Austria by road

• Date of loading Austria 13.4.2021
• Trailer arrival date in Hanko 17.4.2021
• From Katajanokka in Helsinki to Suomenlinna 19.4.2021
• Length of transport 17 m
• Combination weight 20 tonnes
• Load weight merely 3 200 kg

The service ferry that transported the trailer combination to the island from Katajanokka (Helsinki) was a new insight into the logistics of Suomenlinna for Elo.
Since the service platform could only accommodate one truck and there was only one suitable departure time per day, the transport had to arrive at the departure pier at exactly the right time.The organ pipes travelled from Austria to Finland, lying on their padded beds in the FREJA trailer. The organ pipes range in size from a few centimetres to over five metres.
After their arrival, the installation of the organ began. After the installation, the organ needs to be voiced. The voicing work will take place from the beginning of May until mid-June.

[caption id="attachment_28316" align="aligncenter" width="800"] After their arrival, the installation of the organ began. After the installation, the organ needs to be voiced.[/caption]

Anna Pulli-Huomo, lead church musician from the Tuomiokirkko congregation in Helsinki says that the new church organ is larger than the previous one, and Pulli-Huomo compares the new organ to a symphony orchestra.
- The organ could be described as a string orchestra with a trumpet section.
The official inauguration concert for the new organ will take place in September, but the aim is to play the new organ at Suomenlinna's summer concerts.

Social responsibility and sustainability are close to our heart, and we at FREJA are pleased to present the latest CSR report for the year 2020. This report marks the fourth CSR report for FREJA since 2017. In the report, we unveil the initiatives we have worked on in 2020 and the goals we have set to create a better environment and a more sustainable planet.

As a transport and logistics company, we believe that we have a responsibility when it comes to ensuring a greener environment. Our industry is crucial for society, as we contribute to the transport of necessary goods such as medicines, food, and hygiene products, but the effect of this is that the transport sector is responsible for 24% of direct CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. Our critical role in society has been particularly crucial during the pandemic. We have worked hard to keep the supply chains going around the world, and this could not be done without all our professional and dedicated employees on the roads and in the offices.

Despite the pandemic, we have maintained our focus on CSR and followed the planned strategy, as we do not believe that we can postpone our actions and efforts in this area. Since 2018, we have structured our work with CSR according to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Every year, we assess which areas we want to focus on, and in the year 2020, we worked with the following three SDGs:

• 3) Good health and well-being
• 8) Decent work and economic growth
• 12) Responsible consumption and production

[caption id="attachment_27288" align="alignnone" width="1235"] The three SDGs that FREJA has focused on in 2020[/caption]

Orderliness and responsibility are some of the cornerstones of FREJA, and therefore it is important for us to create a healthy working environment and good working conditions for our employees and drivers. This is also reflected in the SDGs that we have chosen to work with.

In the latest report, you can, amongst other things, read about what we do to create a good working environment, why rail freight is an environmentally friendly alternative to road transport, and how we have contributed to the fight against COVID-19.

You can read FREJA's CSR report 2020 here

The situation in the sea freight market is extraordinary these days. Due to the Covid-19 situation, purchase and consumption of goods have grown significantly, which causes a great demand for transportation throughout the world.

The given situation and the effects after the container ship, EVER GIVEN, blocked the Suez Canal for six days, hasn’t eased the situation. The ship blocked about 360 other ships going through the Suez Canal. The full extent of this is still uncertain. However, there is no doubt that this will cause further delays, and impact the situation in all main ports in Europe, since ships will arrive at the same time after queuing in the Suez Canal,  hence challenges with the handling is to be expected.

There are already delays from before. We experience a lack of equipment, the normal flow for containers has been put out of play, and tight resources mean that ships are waiting for more than a week outside ports to be loaded and unloaded. This happens even though all ships that can sail have been taken into use.

Due to less productivity and rotation, the industry suffers cancellation and blank sailings, and an increase in the imbalance issues. We therefore expect a continued challenging situation for both imports and exports to/from Northern Europe.

We aim to do our utmost for you as our partner to solve the challenges in the best possible way. We will be in close contact with you and keep you updated regarding the development and possibilities. Even though we face a difficult situation, and costs will remain high, we fight for getting space on the vessels, and to help you move your goods.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and ask how we can help each other.

Despite all challenges, we will do everything we can to find solutions for your needs!

Please contact us for more information.

In mid-April, we welcomed a new Branch Director for FREJA in Szczecin. We are pleased to have Grzegorz Giel on board, who brings almost twenty years of experience in serving Scandinavian markets, gained from companies such as Enterprise Logistics and DB Schenker.

About starting in FREJA, Grzegorz says: "After the opening of the Szczecin terminal, which makes an impressive impression, FREJA in Poland faces challenges related to further development."

There is no doubt that one of the priorities will be to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the new facility in Szczecin.

Grzegorz continues: "My goal is to develop groupage and LTL shipments, not only for FREJA's large Scandinavian market but also in Western Europe. We have a great team in Szczecin, which received me very positively. It is a great pleasure and satisfaction to be part of FREJA when we have such opportunities for the development of our organization and customer support."

FREJA has acquired 33 new trailers, and additionally 30 more during summer, to cover our ever-increasing demand for transport in Norway and internationally. The new trailers are both 2-temperature-controlled trailers, box trailers with and without side opening, as well as mega trailers.

[caption id="attachment_25291" align="alignright" width="300"] Some of the new box trailers ready for use.[/caption]

The trailer capacity has been under pressure the past year due to route changes and new processes in connection with the lockdowns in Europe. Even during these challenging times, FREJA has proven to be a reliable and safe transport partner, which has led to new customers and an increased number of assignments.

It is important for us that our customers feel extra well taken care of when it comes to service at all stages, including pick-up and delivery. Both personnel and material should give our customers a good overall feeling and ensure that we handle their shipments in the best possible way.

We often use sea connections, especially between Germany and Norway, because it is more environmentally friendly compared to road transport. This way, we move much of the traffic from the roads to the sea, which helps to limit CO2 emissions. We also make sure to use Norwegian vehicles with EURO6 engines to pick up the trailers in the Norwegian harbor. In addition to this, we often hire locals drivers with a fixed salary to enhance our service.

As of the winter season 2020/2021, new rules apply to winter tires for all new heavy vehicles driving in Norway:

A motor vehicle with a maximum permissible weight of more than 3,500 kg must have winter tires of the type 3PMSF (3 peak mountain snowflake) on drive axles and front steering axles. M&S (Mud and snow) tires can also be used on other axles.

For safety reasons, FREJA Norway began implementing tires of the highest quality, 3PMSF tires, already in 2019.

"We have a great responsibility for traffic safety when our trailers drive around on Norwegian roads, and we want to be the frontrunner when it comes to implementing solutions that aim at increasing road safety and reducing the chance of accidents," says Leif Haug, European Transport Solutions Director in FREJA Norway.

FREJA in Ålesund is expanding with new train solutions, and on the 25th of April, we will start with a daily train connection on the Rauma rail line between Åndalsnes and Oslo. FREJA is always looking for environmentally friendly transport solutions, and we have made a strong contribution to the process of getting this railway connection re-established after it was closed down in 2018.

Your partner in North-West Norway

FREJA Transport & Logistics AS expanded and established a new department in Ålesund in the summer of 2018, where Stein Arve Waagan, with his dedicated will and years of experience from the industry, was hired as the general manager of the new office.

The long-term strategy was to develop our services in North-West Norway, an area with long traditions for international trade, and at the same time strengthen our brand in the West Norway regions. It was particularly important to utilize Waagan's experience in temperature-controlled transports - one of FREJA's focus areas in recent years.

With the right employees who focus on quality and customer empathy and the right competence and knowledge, FREJA in Ålesund has developed beyond all expectations.

Local experts

Our experts in the logistics and transport industry have good experience in finding the best solutions to meet the customer's needs, and they have the overview needed to provide a service that facilitates the customer's everyday life.

[caption id="attachment_25323" align="alignright" width="300"] The development at FREJA Ålesund gives Managing Director, Kjell-Arne Eloranta, and Region Director, Stein Waagan, every reason to smile.[/caption]

We at FREJA are dedicated and proud of the work we do. We offer both innovative and value-creating solutions, and we strive to ensure the highest quality, follow-up, and close cooperation. With extensive experience from the industry and very good local knowledge, we deliver worldwide transport and logistics solutions within road, sea, air, and rail, as well as project forwarding and warehouse and 3PL solutions.

Close to 75% increase in turnover

FREJA in Ålesund has experienced an increase in turnover of almost 75% in the last year through an expanded customer base and strengthened satisfaction and trust among existing customers, which in return has led to a larger share of new traffic. With an increased number of assignments, we are continuously expanding our team of professionals.

The Health Agency of Oslo Municipality has entered into an agreement with FREJA Transport & Logistics AS for the distribution of CoVID-19 vaccines to districts, GP offices, clinics, and pharmacies all around the city.

The Health Agency has been assigned the overall operational responsibility for handling CoVID-19 on behalf of Oslo Municipality. This includes the establishment of test centers, infection detection, and vaccination, as well as all associated procedures.

Focus on high quality

The assignment involves the distribution of urgent deliveries with vaccines that must be dispensed immediately after delivery. This requires quality and punctuality in all areas, both professionally and in terms of material equipment. FREJA's personnel have formal competence to carry out the assignment. The pharmacists at FREJA and Oslo Municipality work closely together to ensure that all the requirements are met. For Oslo Municipality, it has been crucial with a partner who has a full focus on product safety and quality when collecting, transporting, and delivering the vaccines and who could start immediately. FREJA's flexibility and ability to deliver on time meant that Oslo Municipality could make a quick decision.

FREJA will deliver the vaccines with approved distribution vehicles with two GDP-trained drivers in each vehicle to ensure that the vaccines arrive at the vaccination sites at the agreed time. Our teams will follow up on the weekly bookings with detailed route plans, strict control upon delivery, and daily reporting of different parameters such as transport temperature.

Understanding of the Health Agency's needs

According to Geir A Gundersen, head of Infrastructure, Operations and Logistics at TISK + V in the Health Agency, there are many good reasons to choose FREJA Transport & Logistics AS. «FREJA shows a high focus on quality, and they understand how the professional and material capabilities should be used to solve the Health Agency’s needs for this task. FREJA knows how safety and the handling of the task should be done to minimize deviations, and they are well prepared to handle any unforeseen situations that may arise. We look forward to working with FREJA. "

"We are very proud of the trust they have in FREJA and to contribute to a task that is so important to society. This assignment fits in very well with the other investments we are making in the pharmaceutical area for our many Pharma customers in Norway," says Kjell-Arne Eloranta, Managing Director of FREJA Transport & Logistics AS.