Wilh. Wilhelmsen

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)^[6].

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), Cecilie Paus (born 1943) and Helen Juell (born 1947). Cecilie Paus is the mother of fashion designer Pontine Paus and of Olympia Paus, wife of Alexander Nix.^[7]

Shipping

MV Tortugas at the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2008

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 are the third largest carrier tonnage wise after MOL and NYK Line. 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, American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier, United European Car Carriers and EUKOR Car Carriers. This last, corresponding to the former Roll-on/roll-off division of Hyundai Merchant Marine, was jointly acquired for an 80% by Wilhelmsen and Wallenius Line in November 2002, once the European Commission officially cleared the purchase and consequent re-branding^[8].

In June 2011, Wilh. Wilhelmsen acquired the MV Tønsberg, first of a class of "Mark V" roro ships built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; they are the largest roro ships in the world.^[9]

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^[10].

Wilhelmsen Ship Management, the WMS crewing and management company, at one time managed roughly 290 vessels and has a pool of 10 000 seagoing personnel.

Accidents and casualties

During the early hours of 14 December 2002, MV Tricolor (ex Nosac Sun, built in 1987) was sailing from Zeebrugge, Belgium to Southampton, U.K., with a load of nearly 2871 brand new BMW, Volvo and SAAB automobiles. She collided in the English Channel with mv Kariba, a 1982 Bahamian-flagged container ship. Kariba was able to continue on, but Tricolor sank and required salvage by wreck cutting. No casualties occurred^[11].

Notes

Bibliography