Odense Staalskibsværft 1918-2012, I-II 67 (ed. Jens Toftgaard). University of Southern Studies in History and Social Sciences vol. 525. Syddansk Universitetsforlag, 2016. p. 943.

The modern maritime history is much about big things: big ships driving the big society-changing processes of the 20th century. Industrialization moved the ma- jority of workforce from agriculture and small-scale manufacturing to large-scale industrial organizations changing the so- cial and urban structure, and globalization spread commercial networks increasingly all over the shores of the oceans. The histo- ry of the Odense Steel Shipyard (Odense Staalskibsværft) 1918-2012 is a story of big international business in a small country. Even though many of the forces shaping the company’s development were inter- national, in a small community a single company may have a considerable effect on how the global challenges and oppor- tunities are faced within the local context. The shipyard, as a rigid-to-change mate- rial and social construct, provides a histo- rical window well positioned to explore industrial transformation in between the global and local. is based on complex sy- stems that take form as a result of push and pull of technological, economic, so- cial and political forces. Trying to grasp the multi-layered complexity of the busi- ness while also making sense of general trends is a common problem among shipyard histories. This two-volume book 68 of the Odense Steel Shipyard, altogether macro perspectives in industrial history. recurs throughout the book making it un- weighting almost five kilograms, is large- These chapters clearly show that although complicated to follow the long develop- scale story-telling. The editor, Jens Toft- many of the flows that carried the busi- mental processes spanning over the pe- gaard, has managed to encompass a re- ness forward were global all of them were riods. spectably many and diverse approaches interpreted through and by individuals. The first volume starts with examining and information in a highly readable pack- Articles focusing on global forces, grey- the context in which the shipyard was foun- et. The ninety-two years of the shipyard haired men with a vision, and giant con- ded by the Odense Canal and its founder, have been divided into five main periods, crete objects, are contrasted with other A. P. Møller (1876-1965). Harnow and Mor- the beginning 1918-1935, the specialization articles that concentrate on working and gen describe how Møller being born in a 1935-1958, the expansion 1959-1978 and workers. Contributions on technology of maritime family in the second half of the the technological leap to the advanced ships and shipbuilding by Kurt Risskov Sø- 19th century grew up in the middle of the containers for which the Line is rensen takes the discussion from the eco- long-lasting battle between traditional sails best known today, 1979-2006. In addition, nomic dimensions of shipbuilding to its and wooden hulls against steam-powered this history examines the circumstances materialities. He succeeds in analyzing the propulsion and steel construction. He was surrounding the beginning of the Odense impact of the changes in technology and first a ship owner, establishing his shipping Steel Shipyard before 1918 as well as its business in the working conditions. The business on the foundation of modern closure 2007-2012. tangible artefacts and facilities, together steam ships and later during the First Nine authors have contributed with with the body of managers, steered the World War expanded it by taking advan- thematically organized articles covering business by enabling or restricting certain tage of the neutral Danish flag. A shipyard the spectrum from global economy to kinds of production. Together with articles owner he became in 1918 with the help of shipyard workers’ homes. The main chap- on the shipyard workers’ quarters, writ- and in order to complement the shipping ters are opened with Hans Christian Jo- ten by Toftgaard and Bitten Larsen, these branch of his business. hanssen’s review on trends in economy sections give faces to the anonymous The book paints a picture of a shipyard and shipping that shaped the economic masses, who actually build the ships. company whose longevity was strongly foundation of shipbuilding in Denmark as While the variety of approaches, espe- characterized by its ability to recognize well as elsewhere. How the Odense Steel cially the leaps from shipbuilding to house- the weak signals of future ship trade and Shipyard navigated these currents are building when examining development of to adapt to changes in a relatively fast yet more closely examined in articles on the the shipyard village, makes the story-tel- controlled manner. Among European ship- management and strategy of the shipyard ling occasionally a bit bumpy and some- yards, most of which navigated from crisis by Henrik Harnow, Henrik Morgen and times slightly repetitive, the resolution is to crisis especially during the second half Kristoffer Jensen. Although these articles an overall success. As such, this shipyard of the 20th century, the sense of active in many ways present a traditional com- history could be described as the social and often successful change-management pany history approach the authors, in ad- construction of a shipyard: shaping and is something not so usual. dition to just describing the decisions, being shaped by human actors, technolo- This ability to anticipate future develop- make considerable efforts to understand gical artefacts, and a continuously chan- ment is strongly present in the story-tel- the decision-makers and their motives ging economic environment. The articles ling from the beginning. Steam ships did not behind the decisions. This brings the rea- are somewhat independent of the other perhaps revolutionize the shipping busi- der to the interface between micro and articles in the book and these topics also ness at in the late 20th century but they radically restructured the shipbuilding in- yards as well. However, especially in the however, having been a great asset during 69 dustry transforming it from a small-scale beginning of the production and during an upswing, was difficult to downscale to craft based manufacturing into locally con- the 1930s crisis the orders from the sister- adjust the costs to the crashed market centrated industrial production. The mo- company were critical and only its liqui- demand after oil crisis in the mid-1970s. dern ship production needed to be orga- dity kept the shipyard afloat. Sometimes it This fundamental juxtaposition and in- nized and managed in a new way. As Har- is difficult to avoid an impression of the terdependency between the dynamic ship- now describes, the Odense Steel Shipyard shipyard being a little brother in the com- ping business and the rigid shipbuilding came to be located by the canal instead of pany group with his own mind but survi- business goes through the two-volumes established ports on the coast, because ving crisis only with the help of the family. but is most strikingly manifested in the the land was cheaper and more flexible to The second part focused on the phase chapters on the 1970s crises. The shipyard use as well as being closer to steel worker after the 1959 when the gravity of the com- needed to halve the workforce but it sur- communities. The first part of the book pany’s shipbuilding started to move from vived unlike its competitors in Sweden. In contextualize the decision to launch a the old shipyard by the canal to the new addition to the shipping company, there twin-business based on the relationship Lindø shipyard in Munkebo. The volume was the state. Discussion on shipbuilding between a steel shipyard and a steam ship and structure of the demand from the subsidies is practically unavoidable when shipping business scrutinizing, why A.P. Møl- A.P Møller’s shipping company expanded speaking about commercial shipbuilding ler opened the shipyard just where he did. beyond the physical boundaries of the in the 20th century Europe. All companies, In the international context with hindsight, old ship docks. The new production unit governments and institutions related to the decision did make sense considering made the Odense Steel Shipyard a lead- shipbuilding needed to take a stand be- the current economic situation and tech- ing Danish shipbuilder and superior large tween subsidies and relocations of the ship- nological development but through ex- oil- builder in European compari- yards to cost-competitive Asian countries. ploring alternative options, the authors sons. Again, the considerable investment Because of the huge political, economic, manage to avoid a deterministic narrative. in new facilities and production technolo- and social value of shipyards for local eco- The institutional and personal connec- gies were possible only with the support nomy, there were no easy answers. Politi- tion between the shipyard and the ship- from the shipping branch. A close rela- cians, owners, and business managers, even ping company is obviously one of the tion-ship with a state-of-the-art shipyard those who in principle opposed state in- central themes. As a contrast to many enabled the shipping company to secure terventions, were ready to accept tem- other European maritime groups, the its supply of advanced vessels and to re- porary over-pricing or direct subsidies to vertical integration did not go beyond the act fast to the changing demand on the keep shipyards afloat during a crisis. Thus, shipyard to engine and steel manufactu- global shipping markets. In the beginning, as the second part of the book well de- ring but the production relied on external it facilitated its specialization on liners, then scribes, the shipbuilding strategy-making suppliers and contractors. Despite of the in large oil tankers and, from the 1970s and policy-making became negotiations close relation, the shipyard and the ship- onwards, large container ships. The large on the future expectations. ping branches were semi-independent capital-intensive shipyard was built up in In the mid-1980s, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møl- units. Whenever possible, the shipyard was certain economic circumstances to re- ler, the son and successor of A.P. Møller, expected to take orders outside of the spond to the skyrocketing demand follow- decided to opt for developing the ship- company group as the Mærsk shipping ing the post-war reconstruction and the yard instead of closing it. Valuable orders company bought tonnage from other ship- closure of the Suez-canal. The capacity from the shipping company together with 70 state support and heavy investments to possible aspects. Neither does the book modern production technologies brought make considerable theoretical or concep- the shipyard back to the front line of ship tual innovations. That is not its purpose. business. Eventually the launching of Emma Described as a “biography of the shipyard” Mærsk, once the world largest Mærsk E- it contextualizes the birth, life and death class in 2006, culminated of the shipbuilding company and studies the development at the Odense Steel its relationship with the society. It does that Shipyard. well. The editorial choices are reasonable Cutting-edge products, early adoption and form a versatile, colourful, and elegant of new generation production technolo- whole. Like a well-built ocean-going con- gies such as welding, section building, and tainer, also a well-compiled history, should computer-aided design, active benchmar- endure time. king of competitors and rational cost-con- scious management kept the shipyard as Saara Matala, Aalto University, Finland an affordable advantage in the company group for ninety years but no longer. In the course of the global financial crisis, the group directorate valued the costs of Danish shipbuilding lower than the esti- mated benefits. The Odense Steel Ship- yard completed the last ship in 2012. Industrial histories aiming to tell a story of a single company are often good-look- ing disappointments with large pictures, high-quality paper, and light-weighted con- tent that fails to connect the company with its local and international context. The two volumes of the Odense Steel Shipyard history avoid the imminent traps of hindsight and a restricted national gaze, and instead provide an intellectually sti- mulating journey through the century of ships that changed the global economy and local community. In addition to that, the books are pleasant to browse with airy graphical design and lively illustrations. Even in such a colossal-sized work as this is, it is not possible to cover all the