Wilh. Wilhelmsen

Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA
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

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Wilh. Wilhelmsen Annual Report". zmags.com. 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Wilh. Wilhelmsen – restructuring for future growth". wilhelmsen.com. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  3. Dagens Næringsliv, 17 September 2009
  4. "Wilhelmsen – Store norske leksikon". snl.no (in Norwegian). 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  5. "Wilhelmsen new ro-ro is biggest ever". The Motorship. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  6. Careers at Wilhelmsen

External links