Japanese fronthaul plus Norwegian backhaul is the business formula that has driven the forestry products pool Saga Welco and its forerunner companies for more than 30 years.

Officials of the Tonsberg-based pool operator and its Japanese co-owner gave roughly that as an explanation of NYK Line’s intercontinental cooperation in open-hatch bulkers. Under different names and with different Norwegian partners over the years, the formula has been working since 1991.