United Shipping & Trading Company (USTC), the Danish shipping and logistics group owned by the Østergaard-Nielsen family, has filed a complaint with the Danish Press Council against the daily tabloid Ekstra Bladet, accusing it of breaching press ethics in its reporting on founder Torben Østergaard-Nielsen.
The move follows months of front-page criticism linking the billionaire to the environmental scandal at Nordic Waste, which collapsed in 2024 after a landslide at its Ølst site threatened to pollute local waterways. Nordic Waste’s bankruptcy left the Danish state facing a costly clean-up, and Torben Østergaard-Nielsen, the company’s majority shareholder, has come under intense scrutiny.
USTC argued that Ekstra Bladet has consistently crossed ethical boundaries in its coverage, tying Østergaard-Nielsen personally to cases in which he had no direct role, such as a 2022 cable damage incident involving Uni-Tankers, criticism of shipyard Fayard’s LNG-related repair work, and the accounts of restaurant chain Jensens Bøfhus.
The company said these reports were framed with offensive language, misleading claims about financial liabilities, and exaggerated links to unrelated matters.
It also highlighted what it describes as campaign-like reporting, with repeated front-page attacks, activist stunts such as dumping manure outside Østergaard-Nielsen’s home, and the invention of derogatory nicknames.
USTC further accused the paper of using invasive imagery, including photos of Østergaard-Nielsen’s private residence, despite his address protection.
The group said it accepts the role of tough and fair journalism but insists the coverage crossed into personal vilification.
“The Danish press ethical rules state that all individuals have the right to protection of their personal reputation, and that information must be correct, clear and free from unnecessary offence,” the group stated. “Ekstra Bladet’s reporting crosses the line from critical journalism into smear campaign.”
The Press Council will now assess the complaint.
