Statement from Samskip regarding
transport of whale meat

12.7.2013

For the sake of avoiding any misunderstanding, Samskip confims
that it does not plan to ship whale meat in the future.

In June a consignment of 6 containers containing whale meat was transported from Iceland to Rotterdam on a Samskip vessel under a Samskip transport document. This cargo was en route for Japan. Samskip has at no point denied this as the transports are entirely legal. On delivery of the containers to Rotterdam, Samskip's role in this shipment as a shipping line ended. At this time, a formal request was made by the Port of Rotterdam to all carriers to cease transit of whale meat through the port. Samskip advised the port that it would comply with this formal request, understanding that the cargo concerned would continue unimpeded en route to Japan via another carrier's service. In addition, the company publicly stated that it would not undertake further shipments of whale meat. The onwards transport from Rotterdam for the 6 containers was legally documented and approved by all the relevant authorities.

As a result of the campaign drawing attention to this shipment, a number of allegations have been made regarding Samskip in the public arena. Samskip believes that it has responded in a responsible way to sensitivities over the transport of whale meat.

However, the company does not accept a number of inaccurate, false and damaging allegations that have been made as a result of the events described above. We have now agreed with the carriers in question that the cargo will be returned to the shipper in Iceland.

In light of Samskip‘s response to these events, we are of the view that transfer of this cargo ex-Hamburg and its delivery back to Iceland should be allowed to proceed in good order.

Samskip press release