The Norwegian banana-import - A case study of delays in liner shipping

This report focuses on how delays are handled by a specific container shipping company on their Rotterdam-loop with import of bananas into port of Oslo. The company has a banana-importer in Oslo that imports around 810-1240 tons of bananas per week. Bananas are an extremely time-sensitive fruit, which means that if a delay occurs the bananas can get damaged or die. The bananas are shipped in refrigerated-containers under a low temperature to be able to transport them over long distances. The bananas come with an oceanvessel to the port of Rotterdam where they are transshipped to a feedervessel that takes them to port of Oslo. The report's focus on how the shipping company handles delays, and how the delays affect the relationship between the shipping company and their banana-importer. Collection of information has largely been done through interviews from the container shipping company, banana-importer and observation in port of Oslo including interviews with port representatives. It has also used literature to get a credible theory and to compare the theory with the results. The banana-importer forwards their bananas to its customers and relies on the shipping company that they can deliver bananas to the port Oslo in time. The shipping company has used several measures to reduce the delay time by removing one or two terminals in Rotterdam port, leave goods in the port of Rotterdam to reduce loading and unloading time or transport the banana refrigerated-containers through a third party feeder. The feedervessel always awaits the oceanvessel when it is delayed to port. Most of those interviewed from the shipping company agreed that they would need an overall role that has more knowledge and experience on specific routes to help the company's employees to understand everyone's work is important and that they should not only focus on their own work. In order to optimize the shipping company, they need to collaborate and communicate better