Wilh. Wilhelmsen

Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA

Type	Public
Traded as	OSE: WWI
Industry	Shipping
Founded	1861
Headquarters	Lysaker, Norway
Key people	Thomas Wilhelmsen (CEO) Diderik Schnitler (chair)
Number of employees	16,000 incl landbased organisation, joint ventures and seafareres (2009)
Website	www.wilhelmsen.com
Footnotes / references Figures from annual report 2009[1]

Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA (WWH)^[2] 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 240.8 million United States dollars according to figures published in February 2009^[1] 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 time. For example, there have been at least four 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 Linje Akvavit 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 memorabilia from their various vessels.

The company was founded by Wilhelm Wilhelmsen in 1861. It is currently owned by the siblings Wilhelm Wilhelmsen, Finn Wilhelmsen, Cecilie Paus and Helen Juell.^[3]

History

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.

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.

Wilhelmsen family

The company's owners, the Wilhelmsen family, are descended from Wilhelm Zachariassen Holst (ca. 1732–1807), probably of Holstein origin, who worked at Vallø saltverk. His great-grandson was shipping magnate (Morten) Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (1839–1910), the founder of Wilh. Wilhelmsen. He was the father of ship-owner Halfdan Wilhelmsen (1864–1923), factory owner Finn Wilhelmsen (1867–1951), ship-owner Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (1872–1955) and businessman Axel Wilhelmsen (1881–1957).^[4]

Halfdan Wilhelmsen was the father of Mistress of the Robes Else Werring (1905–89), married to ship-owner Niels Roth Heyerdahl Werring (1897–1990). Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (1872) was the father of ship-owner Tom Wilhelmsen (1911–78), who was the father of the current owners of the Wilh. Wilhelmsen company: Morten Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (born 1937), Finn Wilhelmsen (born 1939), Cecilie Paus (born 1943) and Helen Juell (born 1947). Cecilie Paus is the mother of fashion designer Pontine Paus.

Wilh. Wilhelmsen restructure

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.^[2]

The company reorganized its name and divisions

Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA

Current operations

Shipping

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 manufacturers of cars as well as construction and agricultural machinery. In the car carrier market, they the third largest after MOL (the largest car carrier company) and NYK Line (the second largest car carrier company). On an annual basis, WW’s shipping companies transport 5 million cars and 12 million cubic metres of high and heavy and non-containerised 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 June 2011, Wilh. Wilhelmsen acquired the MV Tønsberg, first of a family of "Mark V" roro ships built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; they are the largest roro ships in the world.^[5]

Logistics services

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 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.

Maritime services

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) and is one of the world’s largest providers of third-party ship management services.^[6]

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 Wilhelmsen Marine Engineering is a supplier of electrical, automation and HVAC systems to the marine and offshore markets.

List of current Wilhelmsen Lines ships

List of ships as of January 2011

Name	Type	Operator	WW Ownership	Built	Flag
MV Tønsberg	Large Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2012	Malta
LPGC Ayame	Very large gas carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	N/A	2010	Singapore
MV Tirranna	Large Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2009	Norway
MV Toscana	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2009	Norway
MV Torino	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2009	Norway
MV Tijuca	Large Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2008	Norway
MV Toreador	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2008	United Kingdom
MV Tomar	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2008	United Kingdom
MV Tarifa	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm T/C	2007	Bahamas
MV Talia	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm T/C	2006	Bahamas
MV Taipan	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm T/C	2006	Bahamas
MV Morning Concert	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	EUKOR Car Carriers Inc.	100%	2006	United Kingdom
MV Tombarra	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	2004	United Kingdom
MV Toledo	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	2004	United Kingdom
MV Topeka	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	2004	United Kingdom
MV Tortugas	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	2004	United Kingdom
MV Torrens	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	2004	United Kingdom
MV Toronto	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	2004	United Kingdom
MV Tamerlane	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2001	Norway
MV Talisman	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2000	Norway
MV Tarago	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2000	Norway
MV Tamesis	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	2000	Norway
MV Freedom	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1997	United States
MV Honor	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1996	United States
MV Endurance	Roll-on/roll-off	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1996	United States
MV Resolve	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1994	United States
MV Integrity	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1992	United States
MV Courage	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1991	United States
MV Patriot	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1987	United States
MV Tancred	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	EUKOR Car Carriers Inc.	Longterm B/B	1987	Norway
MV Trianon	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	Longterm B/B	1987	Norway
MV Trinidad	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	1987	Norway
MV Tai Shan	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	EUKOR Car Carriers Inc.	Longterm B/B	1986	Norway
MV Takara	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	EUKOR Car Carriers Inc.	Longterm B/B	1986	Norway
MV Tasco	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	1985	Norway
MV Liberty	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	American Roll-on/roll-off Carrier	50%	1985	United States
MV Tagus	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	1985	Norway
MV Tampa	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	1984	Norway
MV Taiko	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	1984	Norway
MV Texas	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	100%	1984	Norway
MV Terrier	Pure Car/Truck Carrier	EUKOR Car Carriers Inc.	100%	1982	Norway
MV Talabot	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	50%	1979	Singapore
MV Tampere	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	50%	1979	Singapore
MV Toba	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	50%	1979	Singapore
MV Tapiola	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line	50%	1979	Singapore
MV Tourcoing	Roll-on/roll-off	Wilh. Wilhelmsen Line		1978	Singapore

References

External links

• "WW's history". Wilh. Wilhelmsen. Retrieved 4 February 2009. 
• "WW annual report". Wilh. Wilhelmsen. Retrieved 4 February 2009. 
• "List of Wilhelmsen lines ships". Wilh. Wilhelmsen. Retrieved 11 January 2011.