Reefer team visits Tokyo
The team met with customers and suppliers to explore opportunities in the growing fish and seafood import market
Blue Water’s Reefer team recently made a business trip to Tokyo, Japan, to visit customers and suppliers, particularly those involved in the import and export of fish and seafood. A significant focus was placed on the thriving import market for Atlantic mackerel in Japan, driven by a stable demand and limited local supply due to a decline in catches in surrounding waters of Japan.
For several years, Blue Water has been involved in shipping pelagic fish, salmon, flatfish and other seafood products to the Japanese market. Over the course of a week, the team – consisting of Mette Munk Gaede, (Aalborg), Ivar Bakker (Rotterdam) & Simon Auken Skov (Esbjerg) – participated in meetings to deepen their understanding of the Japanese market and establish strong connections with partners.
Simon Auken Skov, Head of Business Development - Reefer, expressed enthusiasm about the Japanese market, highlighting its strategic importance for the company: “With our strategically located offices in Europe and Canada, Blue Water holds a strong foothold in the Japanese import market with frozen fish and seafood from various origins, where Blue Water can service via both Sea & Air.” Skov also emphasises the pleasure of visiting importers and customers in Japan, not only to comprehend their business operations but also to expand Blue Water’s brand to the Japanese market.
Significant growth in Japanese import market
Blue Water also notices a significant growth in the Japanese import market: “We’re looking forward to be part of this journey, as we expect increasing interest in volumes for Blue Water of both Atlantic mackerel, halibut from Greenland and salmon from Norway, along with a steady demand of snow crab and other seafood from Canada,” adds Mette Munk Gaede, Regional Reefer Director.
In addition to engaging with customers and importers, the team also made time to meet with key suppliers and partners during their visit. One notable meeting was with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in Tokyo, who happily accepted the invitation to talk about the current market conditions and future plans; “We very much appreciate the hospitality and kindness that the customers in Japan showed us. We are looking forward to coming back soon,” says Gaede.
