| Type | Public (OSE: WWI) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Headquarters | Lysaker, Norway |
| Key people | Thomas Wilhelmsen (CEO) Diderik Schnitler (chair) |
| Employees | 16,000 incl landbased organisation, joint ventures and seafareres (2009) |
| Website | www.wilhelmsen.com |
| References: Figures from annual report 2009 [1] | |
Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA (WWH)[1] is a global maritime industry group, headquartered in Lysaker, Norway. The group employs approximately 16,000 people and has operations in 73 nations.
The WW group had an operating profit of USD 240.8 million United States dollar according to 2009 figures published in February 2009[2] and is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. It was founded on 1 October 1861 in Tønsberg. Though the company's first vessel was the Mathilde in 1886, they started making profits only after the vessel "Talabot" in 1887. Thence, all their ships have been named, started with the letter "T", often leading to the same name given repeatedly to different ships over the ages . For example, there have been at least 4 ships named "Talabot" ranging from tankers to ro-ro vessels.
The ground floor of the head office also houses (close to the entrance) an honorary consul office. One of the underground chambers houses casks of Linea Aquavit that are carried in containers on their ships, and usually served at staff meetings and annual officer get-togethers in the ground floor. The first and second floors also house memoriblia from their various vessels.
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In 1861, the company was founded by Morten Wilhelm Wilhelmsen in the village of Tønsberg, Norway. During the next two decades, Wilhelmsen's fleet increased with an average of one ship per year and by 1886 Wilhelmsen was Tønsberg's largest shipowner.
In 1886, Wilhelmsen's eldest son, Halfdan Wilhelmsen joined the firm and was instrumental in the company's move from sail ships to its first steamship. In late 1887, the company acquired the 1,800-ton freighter, Talabot. The steamship was a profitable investment for the Wilhelmsens and the letter "T" became synonymous with the company's naming tradition for its vessels. (See above for trivia regading the fixation of the letter "T")
In 1890, Halfdan Wilhelmsen laid the basis of the company's core business - liner trades. In 1911 NAAL (The Norwegian Africa and Australia Line) was established.
On 15 March 2010, the board of directors of Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA (WWI) resolved to propose a new company restructuring in which the shipping and the logistics activities would be carried forward in a separate entity and establishing a new parent company for the group.[3]
WW conducts shipping activities and specialises in roll-on roll off cargo, especially for large project and awkward cargoes like train coaches, small aircraft and large industrial machinery. This is aided by the fact that their ro-ro vessels have large ramps that can support up to 420 tonnes cargo weight at a time. Together with its partners (Eukor and Wallenius Lines), the group controls some 160 car and roll-on/roll-off carriers operating in a global network of trades. Its customers include the world's leading manufacturers of cars as well as construction and agricultural machinery. However, in the car carrier market, they are well behind MOL (the largest car carrier company) and NYK lines (the second largest car carrier company). Due to MOL and NYK having deep and historic relations with the large car manufacturers, it is improbable that this situation will change much. On an annual basis, WW’s shipping companies transport 5 million cars and 12 million cubic metres of high and heavy and non-containserised cargoes.
The group both owns and charters vessels, which are deployed in the fleets operated by subsidiaries Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, EUKOR Car Carriers and American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier.
In association with maritime transport, WW offers various types of logistics service on land – terminal and technical services, procurement of inland transport and supply chain management for vehicles. In addition to well-developed logistical services offered through WWL, the WW group has interests in South Korea's Glovis, Australia's Kaplan and the two US companies American Auto Logistics and American Logistics Network.
WW’s wholly owned Wilhelmsen Maritime Services (WMS) subsidiary offers services like agencies in many ports. These earlier were marketed under the name "BARWIL" (named after Barber - Wilhelmsen).
Wilhelmsen Ship Management, the WMS crewing and management company, at one time managed roughly 290 vessels and has a pool of 8 000 seagoing personnel. However, as of 2010, they manage roughly 90 ships.
WMS also has the Wilhelmsen Ships Equipment - earlier called UNITOR services, which focuses on maritime systems and environmental solutions, while the newly established Wilhelmsen Marine Engineering is the leading independent supplier of electrical, automation and HVAC systems to the marine and offshore markets.
List of ships as of 2011 January:
Vessel name Type Operator WW Ownership Built Flag MV Tirranna LCTC WWL 100% 2009 NIS MV Tijuca LCTC WWL 100% 2008 NIS MV Toscana PCTC WWL 100% 2009 NIS MV Torino PCTC WWL 100% 2009 NIS MV Toreador PCTC WWL 100% 2008 UK MV Tomar PCTC WWL 100% 2008 UK M/V Tarifa PCTC WWL Longterm T/C 2007 BAH M/V Talia PCTC WWL Longterm T/C 2006 BAH M/V Taipan PCTC WWL Longterm T/C 2006 BAH M/V Morning Concert PCTC EUKOR 100% 2006 UK MV Tombarra PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 2004 UK MV Toledo PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 2004 UK MV Topeka PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 2004 UK MV Tortugas PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 2004 UK MV Torrens PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 2004 UK MV Toronto PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 2004 UK MV Freedom PCTC ARC 50% 1997 US MV Honor PCTC ARC 50% 1996 US M/V Resolve PCTC ARC 50% 1994 US M/V Integrity PCTC ARC 50% 1992 US M/V Courage PCTC ARC 50% 1991 US M/V Patriot PCTC ARC 50% 1987 US MV Tancred PCTC EUKOR Longterm B/B 1987 NIS MV Trianon PCTC WWL Longterm B/B 1987 NIS [[M.V.Taishan]]MV Trinidad PCTC WWL 100% 1987 NIS MV Tai Shan PCTC EUKOR Longterm B/B 1986 NIS MV Takara PCTC EUKOR Longterm B/B 1986 NIS MV Tasco PCTC WWL 100% 1985 NIS M/V Liberty PCTC ARC 50% 1985 US MV Tagus PCTC WWL 100% 1985 NIS MV Terrier PCTC EUKOR 100% 1982 NIS MV Tamerlane Ro-ro WWL 100% 2001 NIS MV Talisman Ro-ro WWL 100% 2000 NIS MV Tarago Ro-ro WWL 100% 2000 NIS MV Tamesis Ro-ro WWL 100% 2000 NIS M/V Endurance Ro-ro ARC 50% 1996 US MV Tampa Ro-ro WWL 100% 1984 NIS MV Taiko Ro-ro WWL 100% 1984 NIS MV Texas Ro-ro WWL 100% 1984 NIS M/V Tampere Ro-ro WWL 50% 1979 SIN M/V Toba Ro-ro WWL 50% 1979 SIN M/V Tapiola Ro-ro WWL 50% 1979 SIN M/V Tourcoing