News

Vilhelm Thorsteinsson EA 11, a new pelagic fishing vessel built especially for Samherji, sailed into Eyjafjördur in Iceland for the first time yesterday. Vilhelm Thorsteinsson is a large, elegant and exceptionally well-equipped vessel, 89 meters long and 16.6 meters wide. The carrying capacity is well over three thousand tons in thirteen tanks, where the catch will be cooled down to bring the best possible raw material to land.

The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) ethics committee has found journalist Helgi Seljand guilty of violating RÚV's Code of Ethics with his written comments about Samherji. The committee decided that several of his remarks, which contained a "clear and personal stance" on Samherji, constitute a "serious violation" of the Code. This is the conclusion of the committee in a ruling announced today.

A new video about fresh fish production in Samherji's high-tech plant in Dalvík covers the entire production process in detail from when the fish is landed directly from Samherji's vessels to the processing house until fresh products are packed according to customers' requirements and ready for delivery.

Dear coworkers

Yesterday, RUV continued its long-standing attack on Samherji with coverage that was quite unbelievable. During an episode of Kveikur, old news from Cyprus was recycled, and auditors were brought to the fore who made all sorts of assertions without justification. Finally, a new Namibian citizen was presented that no one within Samherji has heard of until now.

The Oslo Public Prosecutor has dropped a criminal case directed at the Norwegian bank DNB due to transactions with companies affiliated with Samherji. DNB bank reported this in an announcement to the Oslo Stock Exchange this morning. The investigation, which covered allegations of money laundering, did not reveal any criminal conduct that could lead to prosecution, and therefore the case was dropped.

It was reported this morning that the prosecutor intends to bring charges against Namibian companies affiliated with Samherji in a case that is currently being tried in a court in Windhoek, Namibia. More than twenty Namibian nationals are on trial, but this morning it was announced that the prosecutor intends to add charges against three Namibian companies affiliated with Samherji and their management. Under Namibian law, charges against these companies automatically result in their directors being charged in their capacities.

Haraldur Grétarsson will resign from the European operations of Samherji Holding ehf. in early April. Mr. Grétarsson has held the position of managing director of the Deutsche Fischfang Union (DFFU) in Cuxhaven, one of Germany's oldest fisheries companies, and has served on the boards of various companies. Baldvin Thorsteinsson has been appointed to replace Grétarsson and will be based in the Netherlands. With regards to these changes, routine organizational adjustments will be made in the near future.

The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) reported yesterday on an ongoing investigation in Norway into the business practices of the Norwegian bank DNB. Companies affiliated with Samherji were wrongfully made the main focus of this coverage. RÚV also repeated falsehoods concerning the company Cape Cod FS.

The Central Bank of Iceland has given Samherji access to all email communications between the then Director-General of the Central Bank of Iceland's Capital Controls Surveillance Unit and a reporter at The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) in the run-up to a search of premises at Samherji's offices on March 27, 2012. Samherji has now published these emails for the first time.
• The reporter and the former director of the Capital Controls Surveillance Unit exchanged twenty emails over a five-week period before a search of premises was conducted at Samherji's offices.
• The Central Bank gave a false statement to the Reykjavik District Court in 2015 that no communication had taken place with the media in the run-up to the raid.
• RÚV's primary source withdrew accusations towards Samherji three weeks before the raid and a TV-program where accusations towards Samherji aired for the first time. Nevertheless, both the Central Bank and RÚV made assertions about abnormally low prices and under-pricing.
• The Director-General of RÚV refused Samherji access to the emails with reference to legal provisions for the protection of journalist's sources.
• The Central Bank hinted that the extent of the possible breach of the capital controls amounted to billions ISK when in fact it concerned a transaction of ISK 25 million.

Today it was reported that the Norwegian bank DNB might receive a fine from the Norwegian supervisory body Finanstilsynet. Samherji has no knowledge of this potential fine beyond what may be read in the media. Although this fine has been associated with Samherji's business with DNB, there is no mention of Samherji or affiliated companies in DNB's announcement regarding the fine, and there is no indication that the possible fine is due to DNB's relationship with Samherji.