Every year on the 8^th of March the world celebrates International Women’s Day. This is a day dedicated to topics such as diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). But for us it is also an opportunity to embrace all the women working at Uni-Tankers. We are working dedicated towards equality, which is both on the everyday agenda, and also in our annual ESG report.

In 2019, we signed a charter that obligated us to actively focus on gender equality. This is still a top priority at Uni-Tankers, and we work every day towards this goal. On board Uni-Tankers’ vessels, diversity and inclusion are considered business critical. But also onshore, where we promote and prioritise the DEI agenda.

Our CEO Per Ekmann stated “More and more women are working in the shipping industry onshore, however, we still experience challenges with attracting women offshore. At Uni-Tankers, we want to encourage everyone – regardless of gender – to begin a career within shipping whether it is onshore or offshore”

Today, we celebrate and embrace the women who have chosen a career within shipping and especially here at Uni-Tankers.

Want to learn more about our current work with social issues? Read our latest ESG report from 2021-22 here.

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Since 2020, Uni-Tankers have tested carbon emission reducing biofuels and implemented fuel optimization systems on our owned fleet.

In addition to implementing alternative fuels, energy efficiency devices remain a key lever to reducing our consumption of conventional fossil fuels and thereby minimizing our carbon footprint.

In Uni-Tankers, we are continuously looking for ways to reduce our overall impact on the environment. As a result of these efforts, we have installed fuel-saving technologies on most of our owned fleet resulting in documented fuel savings of 8-15 percent per vessel depending on the system installed.

The systems installed vary from vessel to vessel, as not all engines can benefit from the same technology. Most of the systems installed are so-called adaptive on-top systems that ensure constant optimization between engine and propeller, while others are an upgrade of the control system.

So far, we have installed fuel-saving technologies on 9 of 15 vessels – the first was M/T Endelo Swan in 2020, and the latest our M/T Alsia Swan and M/T Lillo Swan.

Next up are M/T Mona Swan and M/T Tasing Swan, who are scheduled to receive their upgrades in 2023.

Coming initiatives

In 2023, we will also be testing a new special hull coating on M/T Fenno Swan when she drydocks in April. This specialized coating saves fuel through reduced frictional resistance in the water, which in turn means lower fuel consumption.

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Working with trainees and developing new talent is an important part of our recruitment strategy. It’s our foremost duty to provide the best training possible to motivate, encourage and grow our young people helping them to achieve their potential.

The Uni-Tankers Trainee Program

A traineeship with Uni-Tankers has a duration of 24-30 months depending on field/department of education and consists of both theoretical and practical training. The trainee will during his/her/their training spend the majority of time in the department of specialization, but the training also includes rotation to other departments to develop a deep understanding of our business.

To ensure maximum outcome of the Trainee Program, a mix of practical learning and various learning tools will be used – all leading to a trainee program consisting of a selected blend of “on-the-job” learning, mentoring and development of theoretical, practical as well as personal skills through both classroom and hands-on training.

During the traineeship, the trainee will visit and to the extent possible work at one of our foreign offices to broaden his/her/their awareness of our global organization as well as understand the size and depth of our business. The trainee will gain experience with working in a foreign environment and culture, and at the same time it will give us the opportunity to see the trainee perform under various circumstances.

A world of opportunities

Our most recent shipping trainee Mikkel Bøgstrup was permanently employed with us after he completed his traineeship.

Chemistry and Culture

We strive to have the best working environment. This requires an exceptional social environment and atmosphere across departments, offices, and the entire group. The chemistry between all colleagues is one of our biggest advantages and it is a very important to us. Therefore we encourage everyone – and especially our trainees – to participate in our various social events and activities.

When our young talents start their careers with us, they also join our Group Network for trainees and student assistants. The Group Network facilitates a forum where students and trainees in the Group can get to know each other, discuss and spar with each other, learn more about all our associated companies – and not least socialize and have fun with each other to create a more dynamic and open relationship and network across all companies.

Our success relies on our ability to attract the most talented young professionals – and by taking in trainees, we want to make sure it stays this way.

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We are happy to share the news that Klaus Nyborg takes over as new Chairman of the Board for Uni-Tankers. He takes over from USTC owner Torben Østergaard-Nielsen who has been Chairman of the Board since 2014.

Klaus Nyborg has been on the Uni-Tankers Board since 2012. His many years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the shipping industry is unique in many ways, and it is an obvious choice to have him take even more responsibility for the development of Uni-Tankers. In addition to this, he has had the role of Chairman for the USTC Board for almost 10 years and has been involved in the shipping industry for more than 30 years.

The tanker market has been under pressure for a long time, but Uni-Tankers has been able to reposition itself and is now ready to grow further.

Simultaneously with his new position within Uni-Tankers, Klaus Nyborg also steps in as new Chairman of the Board for Bunker Holding A/S.

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Family-owned United Shipping and Trading Company (USTC), which is owned and operated by Torben Østergaard-Nielsen and his two daughters, Nina Østergaard Borris and Mia Østergaard Rechnitzer, has announced that Nina Østergaard Borris will assume the role as the new CEO of USTC taking over after her father and USTC’s founder.

Torben Østergaard-Nielsen will remain actively involved as the new working Chairman of the Board of Directors for USTC, and he will focus his efforts on setting the strategic directions for the company going forward.

“It is exciting and very satisfying to take this next step in the generational succession and to hand over the responsibility of the daily operations of USTC to Nina. She has really excelled in her role as COO of USTC and has proven over a number of years that she has both the competences and the experience to grow USTC while safeguarding the solid foundation that USTC is built on,” says Torben Østergaard-Nielsen.

Mia Østergaard Rechnitzer was appointed Head of Corporate Governance in September 2021 as a long-planned next step in the development of the family business. Mia will subsequently move into a role as Chief Governance officer stepping into USTC Executive Management. She will focus on developing and elevating ESG initiatives for USTC and its entities.

The change of leadership will become effective with the expressed goal of carrying on the family legacy of the company adhering to the guiding tenets of Torben Østergaard-Nielsen: Leadership, decency, and business acumen.

“Together, Nina and Mia will carry on developing the organisation while ensuring that the family values will continue to permeate the company. As founder and co-owner and in my new role as working Chairman of the Board of USTC, I will remain close to the business and stay very active in owner-related decisions surrounding USTC. I will continue to do so in close collaboration with both Nina and Mia and the leadership in all USTC companies. I have no plans to retire or reduce my workload, and I will instead focus my efforts on canvassing new business opportunities and setting the strategic direction for USTC,” says Torben Østergaard-Nielsen.

Continuing the family legacy

Since early 2020, Nina Østergaard Borris has held the position of COO at USTC and has for the past years focused efforts on implementing synergies by bringing the USTC business units closer together. As a result of an ambitious growth strategy and multiple acquisitions delivered by Nina Østergaard Borris, USTC and its subsidiaries have grown significantly in both people and numbers over the last years. As newly appointed CEO, Nina Østergaard Borris will continue to evolve USTC while ensuring a strong footprint in the group and across all group entities in line with the owner family’s long-term values and ambitions.

“It is with great pride but also humility that I will take over from my father. I am very much aware that I have a heavy legacy to lift and the responsibility this entails, and I am grateful for the opportunity and trust being passed onto me. My vision for the company is clear and strong, and I am thankful to have the support of my father, my sister, and the Board of Directors. I am especially excited to continue growing and strengthening the group and to work closely with my sister Mia in driving forward the ESG agenda for USTC,” says Nina Østergaard Borris.

“I am extremely pleased that Nina will assume the role as CEO of USTC. Not only is she fully capable of taking on her new responsibilities, but her new role also means that USTC operations will remain closely linked to the family ownership. Nina and I work extremely well together, and I really look forward to continuing to build on our joint vision for USTC,” says Mia Østergaard Rechnitzer.

USTC Executive Management now consists of Nina Østergaard Borris as Group CEO, Mia Østergaard Rechnitzer as Group CGO, and Jakob Schultz Nielsen as Group CFO. Executive Management will report directly to working Chairman of the Board of Directors, Torben Østergaard-Nielsen.

Changes to the USTC Board of Directors

Torben Østergaard-Nielsen’s appointment as working Chairman of the Board for USTC will result in additional changes to the Board.
Klaus Nyborg, current Chairman of the Board of USTC, will assume the position of Vice Chairman of the Board for USTC. Klaus Nyborg will in addition step into the role as Chairman of the Board for USTC’s largest subsidiary Bunker Holding as well as the USTC’s tanker business Uni-Tankers.

Torben Janholt has decided to step out as board member for USTC after many years of contributing to the growth and success of the company.

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Our second Senior Officers’ Conference took place at Maersk Training in Svendborg last week. The conference was held with great enthusiasm from both our sea and shore staff.

Great talks and discussions as well as personal interactions and networking were some of the highlights of the conference as sea and shore staff could once again catch up face-to-face to learn, inspire and engage with one another.

Topics like leadership, learner mindset, communication, behavior, and our company values were discussed thoroughly and made tangible.

After these insightful days of learning and networking, the feedback was positive. The conference topics were greatly appreciated and everyone was happy to have the opportunity to learn about Uni-Tankers’ future strategy, engage with leadership, and connect with colleagues from around the world – all while covering important topics.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this Senior Officers’ Conference a success!

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We are both happy and proud to be part of the USTC family.

We are solidly financed, and the family ownership means that the combination of long-term value generation and a very agile leadership, provides the best environment for growth.

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A new and unconventional corporate identity recently launched by the Danish shipping company Uni-Tankers has been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award in the Corporate Identity category. The identity comes in the wake of the company’s ambitious strategy to cement the position as a global leader in its core markets.

At Uni-Tankers, chemistry is much more than cargo. Handling hazardous liquid cargo is the heart and soul of the company — and its dedicated field of expertise. With local offices spread across Denmark, France, Turkey, and the USA, local presence and strong relationships is an essential part of the company’s way of doing business.

To emphasize their solid experience and expertise in handling chemistry and oil — along with superior people skills and presence — the essence of the brand is encapsulated in the new payoff: A Matter of Chemistry. Together with the use of hyphens and lowercase numbers throughout key messaging, this creates a clear reference to chemical formulas and forms a truly distinctive brand expression.

“We wanted to revitalize our brand in a way that not only reflects who we are — but also mirrors the highly ambitious strategy we have set forth to claim the position as one of the market leaders within our field. Winning this Red Dot Award tells us that we have accomplished exactly that,” explains Per Ekmann, CEO at Uni-Tankers.

The new corporate identity has been developed in close collaboration with the Danish Brand Agency, Pravda. Numerous brokers, customers, and employees have been involved in the process to define the core characteristics of what the brand stands for.

“The Red Dot Award is often referred to as the Oscars of design. It is one of the world’s largest design competitions with thousands of entries from over 70 countries. Only a small percentage gets through the eye of the needle. So, winning this award is a testament to Uni-Tankers’ high ambitions and courage. They went into this with full steam and high expectations, and that definitely fueled our creative fire,” concludes Brand Director at Pravda, Karim Frølund.

Facts about Uni-Tankers
Uni-Tankers is a leading tanker shipping company trading in the intermediate and small tanker segment. The Company operates approx. 40 owned and chartered oil and chemical vessels, and the fleet is one of the youngest in its core markets. Uni-Tankers was founded in 1995 as a subsidiary of the financial group A/S United Shipping & Trading Company Ltd. (USTC), Middelfart, Denmark.

Facts about the Red Dot award show
The Red Dot Design Award is a German international design prize awarded by Red Dot GmbH & Co. KG. There are prize categories for product design, brands and communication design, and design concept. Since 1955, designers and producers can apply for the prizes, with the winners being announced in an annual ceremony. The show has more than 18,000 entries from over 70 countries.

For further information, please contact:
Per Ekmann, CEO
pfk@uni-tankers.com
M: +45 60 37 39 57

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The tanker shipping company Uni-Tankers steers full steam ahead towards claiming their market-leading position in shipping hazardous liquid cargo. A bold new corporate brand identity is the latest step in realizing the company’s ambitious strategy towards becoming the no.1 oil and chemical tanker operator in its core markets.

Since Per Ekmann took the helm as CEO in 2019, Uni-Tankers has carried out a successful cost reduction program and streamlined the organization to develop the agility needed to realize the company’s ambitious goals for the future.

To further accelerate and strengthen the presence of Uni-Tankers in its core markets, the company now gears up on several fronts — backed by the owner’s full commitment and, not least, financial power. Not only by renewing and improving the fleet through time charter agreements and partnerships as well as expanding the fleet with more eco-friendly and stainless-steel vessels. But also, through a new corporate identity and website that raises awareness and brings Uni-Tankers to the frontline — truly claiming a market-leading position.

“Though we may not be the biggest in the industry, decades of dedicated focus on handling and shipping environmentally hazardous liquid cargo has given us a position as a trusted partner among leading oil companies and other clients. And they are strongly backed by our local presence with offices spread across Denmark, Turkey, France, and the USA. So, we’re now at a place where it’s time to explicitly cement what we stand for and truly claim this leading position”, explains Per Ekmann, CEO of Uni-Tankers.

SHIPPING IS A MATTER OF CHEMISTRY

With a crystal-clear reference to chemical formulas, the new corporate identity uses hyphens and lowercase numbers as key components to form a truly distinctive brand expression — reflecting Uni-Tankers’ market-leading expertise in handling chemicals and oil as well as their keen attention to interpersonal chemistry. All encapsulated in the new brand promise: A matter of chemistry.

“At Uni-Tankers, we know that we’re not only shipping chemicals and oil. We’re shipping trust. And decades of experience in the shipping industry has taught us the importance of doing business based on reliability and strong relations. So, for us, it seems obvious to use the word ‘chemistry’ as the focal point for telling our story. Because it is the heart and soul of what we do — and how we do it. It carries a strong double meaning that bridges our unrivaled expertise and our people skills — which together form our winning formula in the market”, concludes Per Ekmann.

Uni-Tankers’ new corporate identity has been rolled out across online and offline touchpoints, and the first vessels in the fleet have been painted with the revitalized logo — still carrying Uni-Tankers’ well-known swan, now in a modernized and re-brushed version.

FACTS ABOUT UNI-TANKERS

Uni-Tankers is a leading tanker shipping company trading in the intermediate and small tanker segment. The Company operates approx. 40 owned and chartered oil and chemical vessels, and the fleet is one of the youngest in its core markets. Uni-Tankers was founded in 1995 as a subsidiary of the financial group A/S United Shipping & Trading Company Ltd. (USTC), Middelfart, Denmark.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Per Ekmann, CEO
pfk@uni-tankers.com
M: +45 60 37 39 57

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It is important to Uni-Tankers to always explore new ways of reducing our impact on the environment and at the same time optimize our fleet.

Looking at fuel consumption was therefore a logical step, and during 2020 Uni-Tankers started working with various external partners who have developed technologies that reduce fuel consumption.

In June 2020, M/T Endelo Swan received an upgrade of the existing engine, and over a period of 10 months the new system was thoroughly tested.

The result was a fuel saving of 12.2% – an important step in our ambition to reduce our overall environmental impact while at the same time making our vessels more efficient.

The system installed is a class-approved on-top system which ensures constant optimization between engine and propeller. It is also adaptive and will increase efficiency as the system gets to know the vessel.

More vessels are receiving upgrades, most recently M/T Fenno Swan who has documented the same impressive results.

Next up is our good vessel, M/T Erria Swan followed by M/T Feo Swan and M/T Lillo Swan, who will receive an upgrade during dry dockings in December 2021 and November 2022 respectively.

M/T Lessow Swan and M/T Anhout Swan will also receive an upgrade of their existing engines – but with a different technology that is better suited for their specific type of engines. The upgrade has already been installed on M/T Lessow Swan in July 2021, and M/T Anhout Swan will follow during her scheduled dry docking in December 2021.

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