O

Formed in 1931 as Orion Schiffahrts GmbH, the tramp operator adopted the Reith & Co. name in 1952. In June 2005, under Dr. Mathias-Kaspar Reith and his brother, it split into Orion Bulkers and Johann M.K. Blumenthal. Its operating companies had included Orlanda Reederei, formed in Hamburg in 1978.

Germany, Rostock; Hamburg from 1939.

Robert, Thomas and James O’May began a Hobart Town–Kangaroo Bay ferry service in 1863 according to The Log; Mertens instead believed operations began in 1870. After Robert and Thomas died, James managed the business with Robert’s sons Henry and George Elwin. A 1912 merger created Rosny Estates & Ferry Co., which entered liquidation in 1926 and passed to Reemere Steamship in 1927. Henry and George reconstituted O’May Bros., restarting ferries in February 1927 and buying Reemere in 1929. Hobart Bridge Co. took over on 1 May 1939 under exclusive Derwent transport rights granted by the Tasmanian Government.

Australia, Hobart.

O. & H.Holta managed the fleets of A/S Havilde and A/S Herdebred.

Norway, Skien.

Otto Garms had Antiope built in 1950; it passed to H. Garms & Sohn in 1956 and was sold in 1963. The fleet directory uses O. Garms & Sohn, while Lloyds successively records Otto, Hermann and Helen Garms.

Germany, Königreich.

Gross managed Power Steamship, whose vessels used Hunts-prefixed names, in the Lloyds listings from the 1950s through 1970–71. A compulsory winding-up order for Power was made in March 1973. Rosanoski leaves its possible connection with the pre-war company of the same name unresolved.

UK, London.

O. Mauran was a nineteenth-century firm.

USA, New York.

Schuch operated the trawler Dolphin 5 from Sydney before moving to northern waters. J.F. Conway had registered her under that name around 1980 and later sold her to Schuch, although Rosanoski could not trace the later ownership in the cited registers.

Australia.

O.B. Sørensen managed D/S A/S Ora, appearing in the 1939, 1963–1964 and 1970–1971 sources. Its managing director was S.H. Smith Sørensen.

Norway, Arendal.

Formed in 1947, O.H. Meling operated through name subsidiaries. The register also uses O.H. Meling Rederi and O.H. Meling, with management and ownership roles varying over time.

Norway, Stavanger.

Ocean Inchcape was formed in 1973 according to Lloyds, or 1972 in the Ships and Oil account. It became O.I.L. in 1983 when Ocean Transport & Trading acquired Inchcape’s remaining 40% and took complete control. Offshore Supply Association’s acquisition is dated 1988 in one account and June 1989 in Lloyds. O.I.L. passed to Tidewater on 18 November 1997 as Ocean Group withdrew from shipping.

Subsidiaries included O.I.L. Marine, O.I.L. (Nigeria) at Apapa, and the OSA Marine Services group, which also passed to Tidewater. VTG Supply Boats Liberia appears among the name companies. Ship names commonly began Oil.

UK, London and Woking; later USA, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Lloyds lists O/Y Fenno Shipping Co. in 1953–54, operating through O/Y Fenno Steamship by 1958–59, with the latter name used in subsequent editions through 1966–67.

Finland, Helsingfors.

Finska Ångfartygs Aktiebolaget acquired Hangon Hinaus in 1981; it absorbed that group’s O/Y Neptun in 1983. Alfons Håkans bought it in 1988.

Finland, Hanko/Hango.

Hangö bought Hangete in 1965 and sold its last vessel, Borgo, in 1984. Mitchell names Tage Nyman as manager, a connection Rosanoski did not locate in Lloyds. Mirabooka, built in 1961, was bought by Hangö in 1979 and appears under the company in the 1980–81 register.

Finland, Hangö.

Pulpships was registered on 3 November 1961 and associated with O/Y Henry Nielsen A/B, recorded as its operator. The website history also records Oy Ab Tank Ships on 4 February 1972, financial difficulties from autumn 1977, and a change to Oy Ab Åxtaliamari on 19 December 1980. Liquidation followed on 31 December 1980 and deletion from the commercial register on 17 December 1981.

Finland, Helsingfors/Helsinki.

The vessels listed under Strömma Turism & Sjöfart continued to use the S655 livery of Strömma Kanalbolaget.

Rettig is dated to 1870, with earlier roots in the family’s tobacco businesses in Sweden and Finland. Per Christian Rettig also engaged in shipbuilding and shipping. The Finnish business merged as Oy Rettig-Strengberg Ab in 1976 and moved its head office to Helsinki; it became Oy Rettig Ab in 1983, with Rettig-Group Ltd. established as parent in 1989. Hans von Rettig was succeeded on his death in 1979 by Gilbert, who died in 1994. The tobacco division was sold to R.J. Reynolds in 1995.

Hans von Rettig became the principal shareholder in Bore in 1926. Founded at Turku in 1897 to maintain winter traffic with Stockholm, Bore developed into a leading Finnish passenger and liner owner, a Silja Line associate and a pioneer of Finnish ro-ro traffic. The company history places Bore Line’s incorporation into Rettig Strengberg in 1987. Cargo traffic was sold to Finnlines in 1992, after which Bore Shipowners chartered six vessels to outside Baltic and North Sea liner operators.

The Lloyds accounts differ: one dates a merger of Oy Rettig Ab into O/Y Bore Line A/B to 31 December 1986, another to 31 December 1987. The name Oy Rettig Ab Bore is recorded from 1996. Engship was acquired in January or February 2006 and merged, with Bror Hussel Chartering, into Rettig Group Bore in February 2007. Shipping subsequently operated through Bore Ltd.

The von Rettig family also owned Strömma Turism & Sjöfart AB. In 1999 Bore Line AB took that name and merged with August Lindholm AB, following acquisitions in tourism and shipping. The listed Stockholm relates to Strömma Kanalbolaget A/B.

Finland, Åbo-Turku; later Helsinki.

Saimaa Lines appears in the 1973–74 register as a manager only, managing Saimaan Kanavalaivat O/Y. It is also recorded in the 1978–79 and 1980–81 registers.

Finland, Helsinki.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

Suomi ja meri records use of Algot Johansson’s flag, consistent with his role as operator. Sally also used Viking Line’s funnel as a member of that consortium. Mitchell attributes another funnel, as well as S129, to Sally Line Ltd., although his drawings show it only for Viking 6 and The Viking under Rederi A/B Sally. His drawing of the Jugoslav charter Njegos, whose charter ended in 1985, shows a white funnel.

Rederi A/B Sally was listed under Algot Johansson in 1953–54 and later appeared as O/Y Sally Line A/B. It acquired Rederi A/B Solstad at an unspecified date and apparently joined the original Viking Line consortium at its formation in 1966, leaving in 1988. In 1987 a partnership of Johnson Line, EFFOA and Union Bank acquired 67 per cent, with Sally retaining 33 per cent. The partnership obtained full ownership in 1988. The passenger trades of Johnson Line, EFFOA and Sally were merged into Effjohn International in 1990.

Finland, Mariehamn.

Jorge Candeias’ original reference showed the principal flag and a reverse-colour flag painted on a truck. The latter could be a used variation.

The Hacklin group dates its foundation to 28 December 1908, when Werner Hacklin, a Reposaari sailing-ship stevedore, and his elder brother contracted to begin stevedoring in Meri-Pori. Operations gradually moved to Mäntyluoto. Shipping appears to have been conducted through O/Y Werner Hacklin, recorded in Lloyds until about 1960, with vessel names consisting of a Christian name followed by H. By 2003 O/Y Hacklin Ltd. was no longer directly engaged in shipowning or operation, its activities including forwarding, stevedoring and storage.

Finland: Bjorneborg (Pori) and Reposaari (Räfsö).

Oak Steamship was formed in 1947. The group’s shipowning operation moved from Hong Kong to Canada in May 1994, with the names Oak Maritime (H.K.) and Oak Maritime (Canada) recorded that year. The Hong Kong Oak Steamship company remained the parent but ceased shipowning, while a management base remained there. Correspondence attributes the move to the Tsai Y Hsu families and places Luminous Navigation within the group, though no vessels could be traced against that company.

Operating interests included Confidence Maritime Industries in Taipeh and its Singapore subsidiary Genie Shipping, both formed in 1996; a Hong Kong Oak Maritime company formed in 1996; and Sincere Navigation, formed in Taipeh in 1961. Oak joined the consortium forming Eurasia Shipping & Management, later Eurasia International (China). Wallem managed one vessel in the 2000 register.

Canada, Vancouver.

The name is recorded in a 1916 book supplied through Alan Watt.

Japan.

Formed in 2003, the company combined JSC Kaliningrad Fishing Industry Co. Zapryba with Kaliningrad Industry Fishing Co. “Fishing Fleet-FOR” Plc. The latter English form is also given as an alias. Lloyds records Russian government control and a fleet operated in its own name and through JSC Fishing Fleet at the same address.

Russia, Kaliningrad.

Founded in 1995, Sibur was a gas-processing and petrochemicals company. Following Gazprombank’s phased sale from December 2010, SIBUR Holding was wholly owned by SIBUR Ltd. by autumn 2011, with Leonid Mikhelson holding 57.5%, Gennady Timchenko 37.5% and smaller holders 5%. In 2013 Sibur received Sibur Tobol, its second gas carrier after Sibur Voronezh, operating under a long-term charter agreement with Sovcomflot.

Russia, Moscow; St. Petersburg in the charter dated 25 April 2013.

Mitchell assigns S1336 to the first Soviet vessels under free flags, with the hammer and sickle removed from the funnel band. Yamburg is identified under a one-ship owner and Acomarit management. His fourth listed vessel, Salacgriva, built and renamed in 1991, instead has S1335 colours.

Sovcomflot, rendered in English as Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot and explained as Modern Commercial fleet, grew from measures permitting bareboat chartering outside the Soviet foreign-trade monopoly. A 1973 resolution led to the Fund for Commercial Operations in 1976. The enterprise was established in 1988 with the Ministry Marine and major shipping companies, then transformed into a wholly Russian Federation-owned joint-stock company under the resolution of 26 June 1995.

The 2007 combination with Novoship added the state’s holding to Sovcomflot while retaining legally separate companies; Novorossiysk Shipping joined as SCF Novoship in December. Group companies included Cyprus-based Sovcomflot and Unicom, the UK chartering agency, Madrid-based W.W. Marpetrol and Moscow’s Rosnefteflot. Marpetrol had been jointly acquired with Novorossiysk in August 2006; Unicom originated as a 1990 joint venture.

USSR, later Russia, Moscow.

Ob-Irtysh, also recorded as Ob-Irtyshshkoye Rechnoye Parokhodstvi, operated passenger and cargo services on the Ob and Irtysh and Arctic river-sea shipping. It is recorded for Kapitan Evdokimov at construction in 1983. Lloyds 1992–93 places it under Eurostar Navigation, with later listings under its own name and Russian government control. Earlier City of vessel names gave way to Russian names, while part of the previously listed fleet remained with the manager under individual companies.

USSR; Greece, Piraeus, in the 1992–93 register; Russia, Tyumen, in 1996–97.

Yugoslavia, Kotor.

Hum Coastal Shipping operated the steamship Petar Zrinski between 1915 and 1925. During the World War it served routes linking Korèula, Split and Dubrovnik.

Yugoslavia, Korèula.

Obsea was established in February 2007 for offshore operations and owned Arne Tiselius. The vessel was chartered by FOGA of Esbjerg, Fiskernes Orientering om Olie-og Gasaktiviteter, founded in 1982 to provide fisheries and offshore consultancy and charter vessels for those activities.

Denmark, Svendborg.

Pietro Occhetti owned the 345-grt Leneo before the Second World War. Lloyds separately lists Giuseppe Occhetti fu Pietro and Pietro Occhetti in 1953–54 at different Genoa addresses. In 1958–59 the Giuseppe entry drops fu Pietro and both have the same address; both names continue in the 1973–74 register.

Italy, Genoa.

Occidental & Oriental was formed in November 1874 by the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads after Pacific Mail refused their transcontinental cargoes. Pacific Mail’s owners also controlled the Panama Railroad, threatened by the direct continental routes. O&O initially operated British-flagged ships with Chinese crews and British officers. It competed with Pacific Mail until Southern Pacific acquired both companies in 1893 and merged their businesses, retaining the O&O trade name and flag until 1908.

USA, San Francisco.

Occitan Bulkers owned Occitan Star, Occitan Barsac and Occitan Sky, managed by SGM Shipping Services of Geneva. Star and Sky were bought in April 2012; the recorded Barsac purchase date is 5/2103.

Bahamas, Nassau.

Ocean Bulk Carriers, or OBC, was founded in September 2000 as the principal company in a group owning and managing ships and trading freight. Lloyds initially gave 1989, later amending the formation date to 2000. The group’s shipping interests transferred to British Marine in the 2007 reorganisation, with OBC’s incorporation into British Marine dated 1 February 2007.

UK, London.

Ocean Bulk was formed on 4 March 1997 as a venture between Union Shipping New Zealand and Ocean Towing & Salvage (Cook Island). Union Shipping bought full ownership on 9 July 1998 and transferred the assets to Union Shipping Bulk; Ocean Bulk was struck off on 4 October 2000. Other cited accounts call the venture Ocean Bulkships and describe long-distance tug-and-barge transport. Tugs bore names of male members of the Brown family, owners of Ocean Towage, and barges were numbered Ocean Bulk 1 and so on.

New Zealand, Auckland.

Ocean Cargoes appears as managers in Lloyds 1963–64 for three single-ship companies, which Rosanoski considers probable subsidiaries.

USA, New York, NY.

Ocean Carriers was formed in 1994 and appears initially as managers, later as agents. Operating company Centurian Maritime was formed in 2003 as Falcon Shipmanagement and renamed that year to avoid confusion with Falkon Maritime. Oceanfleet Shipping was formed in 2005 at the same address as Centurian.

Greece, Athens.

Ocean Dominion was a trading name used by the Aluminium Company of America for bauxite services from British Guiana to Canada from the early 1920s. Marine News describes chartered vessels and consolidation with Aluminium Line and American Caribbean Line into Alcoa Steamship in 1940. Talbot-Booth, however, lists owned vessels and continues to show Ocean Dominion independently in 1942 and 1944 without an Alcoa reference.

USA, New York.

Ocean Freeway operated from 1986 to the end of 1988 under Australian National Line management. Rosanoski found two possible registration histories: a company registered in Perth as Jocon on 28 February 1983 and still existing in 2008, and one registered as Ocean Freeway Ltd. on 5 December 1985, later Ocean Freeway Pty. Ltd. and Bellway Equipment, deregistered on 24 June 1997. He considers the latter more likely.

Australia, Fremantle.

Ocean Freighters is dated 1973 by Lloyds and registered on 22 March 1977 in the cited registration record. Registers list it as agents, later managers, with Metron Shipping & Agencies, formed in 1989 at the same address, as a major operating company. Mitchell associates it with L. Moustakas; a later contributor identifies president Panagiotis G. Moustakas.

Greece, Piraeus.

Ocean Gas Transport was owned by Houlder Brothers, which managed part and later all of its fleet in the cited 1966–81 register sequence. Ocean Gas also managed part of Nile Steamship’s fleet. Gazocean supplied specialist knowledge and experience in establishing and operating the business.

U.K., London.

The company was formed in 1994 as Ocean Longevity Co. and adopted Ocean Longevity Shipping & Management in 2002. Lloyds records management activity and vessels under name companies.

China, Hong Kong.

Ocean Marine Services, or OMSI, serves oil and gas platforms and provides oil-spill-response support. Ocean Marine Services Partnership No. 1 is recorded with its first vessel, Ocean Dolphin, in 1975. Lloyds separately lists the principal business and Partnerships Nos. 1, 2 and 4 at the same address.

USA: Kirkland, Washington; Houston, Texas; Dutch Harbour, Alaska; later Kirkland again. A Kenai office is recorded at Nikiski, Alaska.

The register sequence names Ocean Shipping & Enterprises (Panama) S.A. in 1963–64 and Ocean Shipping & Enterprises Ltd. in later editions, with management and agency roles. The Ltd. company managed several companies including the Panama firm.

Hong Kong.

Ocean Shipping & Trading acted as operator or agent for Compañia Naviera Continental’s Transcarib from 1956 to 1960. Lloyds later lists it as agents. The livery record concerns agency companies and associates it with Pack & Kahn, linked in the source to Hudson Waterways.

USA, New York, NY.

Ocean Space Line is described as an accounting company handling last-hand vessel purchases and sales for demolition, dealing with shipowners and shipbreakers worldwide. Pisiou identifies its maritime flag with a St Vincent registration; that account is retained alongside the original Guadeluope location.

Guadeluope, Leeward Islands, as recorded in the source.

Ocean Steam Navigation was floated in May 1846 by Edward Mills, C.H. Sand, Mortimer Livingston, John L. Stephens and others. It began operating on 1 June 1847 as the Bremen Line and suspended operations in July 1857.

USA; New York is assumed in the source.

Ocean Steamship of Savannah, also the Savannah Line, owned steamships from 1877. It operated coastal passenger and freight services in the south-eastern United States under Central of Georgia Railway ownership, feeding freight to the Savannah railway terminus. Ship names began City of.

USA, New York.

Ocean Ferry began operating in 1972. One account dates its change to Ocean Tokyo Ferry and the renaming of its ships to 1976; Lloyds gives a 1973 amalgamation of Ocean Ferry and Tokyu Ferry. Later registers use Ocean Tokyu Ferry. New vessels built in 1991 had names beginning Ocean.

Japan, Tokushima, later Tokyo.

The company is recorded in Lloyds 1963–64 and 1970–71. Its agents were Marcou & Sons Shipbrokers, subsequently N.E. Marcou Shipping Agencies; Tramp Shipping Corporation appears as agent in 1978–79.

U.K., London; later Belgium.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

The livery appears on managed companies’ vessels, sometimes with a narrow black funnel top; ships with names ending ford had black funnels. Mitchell records a black top at Liverpool in 1963. Aleslevada, photographed on 12 March 2006 under China Ocean Shipping, confirms the narrow top and a buff-like yellow less bright than the crane bases. Rosanoski records continuing use by COSCO ships with names beginning Joyous or Mass.

No separate flag is given for this funnel; its application is assumed.

The original flag is white with a blue ring, or O, enclosing a blue T.

This funnel is assigned to Hang Wan of Breton Shipping, later listed under China Ocean Shipping and presumed by Rosanoski to have been under Ocean Tramping at the end of its operations.

This funnel is assigned to Santaway of Santa Maritime Carriers, listed as an Ocean Tramping-managed company in 1992–93.

The source also records Lake Progress of Perfect Properties among the managed companies.

Ocean Tramping was formed in 1957 and was Chinese-controlled. Bob Scott describes it and Yick Fung as Hong Kong intermediaries through which Western owners could sell older tonnage during embargoes affecting China. Hemisphere and Peninsular Shipping were associated operated companies and possible subsidiaries. Ocean Tramping acquired half of Gold Bridge Shipping, formed in 1990, and sold its interest in 1995. The company account dates its merger into COSCO (Hong Kong) Shipping to 1996, while Lloyds gives 1 November 1994 as the latter’s formation date.

Hong Kong.

Ocean Transport Lines is listed under agents Hvide Shipping in 1958–59 and Wilson Shipping in 1963–64. It was described as mainly charterers. The livery uses Chilean Nitrate Corporation’s emblem, but Rosanoski could not establish whether its trade was exclusively nitrate.

USA, New York, NY; later Chile, Santiago.

Ocean Transportation appears in Lloyds from 1953–54 to 1985–86, often under Maritime Overseas Corporation as agents. NJK identifies it with Maritime Overseas, leading Rosanoski to presume a shipping-subsidiary relationship. Ship names changed from an Ocean prefix to Overseas.

USA, New York.

Liberia, Monrovia.

Stewart 1963 records the name as Oceana Shipping S.A.

Switzerland, Chur.

Oceangold was established in 2007 as a ship-management company; Lloyds 2011–12 lists it as managers only.

Greece, Athens.

Oceania was formed in 2002 by former Renaissance Cruises chairman Frank Del Rios and Joe Watters. Apollo Management acquired it in February 2007. Lloyds records ships under name companies and later lists Oceania as managers only.

USA, Doral, Florida.

Oceanic & Oriental was a Matson and American Hawaiian venture formed to take over government-owned transpacific freighters from Swayne and Hoyt. Oceanic-Matson managed the California–Australia–New Zealand services and American Hawaiian the China services. The accounts differ on dates: a historical dictionary gives formation in 1928 and dissolution in 1937, Matson’s history mentions a 1926 purchase, Merchant Ships prints a queried 1878 formation, and McMillan dates the end to 1938. The ships were divided between the two owners when operations ceased, government subsidies having failed to sustain the line.

USA, San Francisco.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

Lloyd Reedereiflaggen makes the ring touch the flag border and the star extend throughout the ring. McMillan’s FOTW drawing follows Lloyds 1912 and Wedge 1926.

Harnack describes the yellow funnel as pale buff. Stewart 1953 and 1957 instead assign Matson livery. American Passenger Liners dates the flag to 1882. NJK considers the O more elliptical than some illustrations show.

An actual flag found for sale on eBay appears black in the photograph, but Rosanoski’s colour examination reads very dark blue. The O should be elliptical. He marks the accompanying funnel as suspect.

These funnels are Matson’s. The source says the three ships adopted Matson livery at the 1926 takeover but retained the Oceanic flag; another reference dates O34 to 1932. Rosanoski takes the blue and yellow shades from Matson’s colours.

Oceanic, also the Spreckels Line, grew from Claus Spreckles’s sailing fleet carrying Hawaiian sugar to California from 1878. The company was incorporated in December 1881 with John Spreckels as president; its first owned ships sailed in July 1883. It served New Zealand and Australia via Hawaii. The source describes initial Hawaiian registration and a change to the American flag on annexation in 1898. Mail contracts were central to its fortunes, including an Australasian-mail venture with Union Steam Ship from 1885 until Union withdrew in 1900. Declining sugar interests and uneven mail-contract income preceded the 1926 sale to Matson, after which Oceanic continued as a subsidiary. The remaining fleet was sold in 1970, while other accounts give service spans extending to 1976. The Spreckles brothers also operated San Francisco’s Black Stack tugs, selling to Red Stack in 1907.

USA, San Francisco.

The Oslo company is distinct from the firm of the same name in Tromso. Brown 1951 calls it Odd Berg Skibsrederi.

It managed Odd Bergs Tankrederi A/S and A/S Kollbjørg, with A/S Berat and A/S Berpa also listed in 1970–1971.

Norway, Oslo.

Mortensen managed the one-ship Rederi A/S Almora in 1970–71; Rosanoski considers it probably a subsidiary.

Norway, Oslo.

For the Westfal-Larsen pool, Mitchell shows the member companies’ funnels, including J.O. Odfjell’s.

The chartered Bow de Feng appeared to have a light-cream funnel at Botany Bay in January 2012; Rosanoski could not determine whether this apparent colour had significance.

Odin owned Joanna Katz, built for it in 1952 and sold in 1958.

Germany, Lubeck.

Odysea was formed in 2007, with all Eurocarriers business transferred on 1 January. The source describes it as Eurocarriers’ new name, apparently registered in Monrovia. Its management history is traced back to a predecessor established in 1991, which Rosanoski interprets as Eurocarriers. Lloyds first lists agency work and later management. Allseas Marine and Eurocarriers share its address, but their association is explicitly assumed.

Greece, Athens.

The source also records a Transatlantic Shipping funnel under Ofer Shipping’s agency.

The group grew from Joseph Herschovici’s Haifa chandlery and shipping agency, managed by his sons David, Sammy and Yuli. Sammy became a shipowner in the 1950s with Eyal, named after his eldest son. The family adopted Ofer in the 1960s. Lloyds traces the company from Mediterranean Seaways in 1957 through Mediterranean Lines in 1967 to Ofer Brothers (Holdings) in 1970. A 1969 agreement merged its liner operations into Zim, allowing expansion elsewhere.

Yuli remained in Israel, while Sammy established a separate European shipping group, based by the late 1970s in Monaco as SAMAMA, with day-to-day operations through London’s Zodiac. Maritime interests included Tanker Pacific, a quarter of Royal Caribbean, the Kotani joint venture and Associated Bulk Carriers; Lloyds attributes the latter acquisition to Zodiac. The family held Zim through Israel Corporation, which became majority shareholder in 1999 and bought the state’s share in 2004, while public shareholders retained an interest in Israel Corporation. Ofer Brothers’ management and ships companies merged into Ofer (Ships Holding) in 2001. The family division is dated tentatively to 2005 in one account and announced on 29 September 2002 in another. Sammy and Yuli died in 2011; the later account names half-owner Udi Angel as chairman and identifies the brothers with the XT Shipping Group.

Israel, Haifa.

Belgium.

Lloyds separately lists Offshore Logistics, Offshore Logistics Services and Offshore Logistics International at the same address. The source records a helicopter-transport business and considers it likely to be the Offshore Logistics which sold North Sea Logistics in 1988. Its corporate identification remains uncertain: one reference describes an International company founded in 1969 and owned by Bristow, while another gives Panamanian incorporation on 9 June 1970 and a later Wright Maritime connection.

USA, Lafayette, Louisiana.

Offshore Marine was formed in 1964 under London & Rochester Trading. It passed to Cunard with Rochester in March 1968 and to Zapata in 1980, then was absorbed into Tidewater Marine (UK) in 1995. It helped form Offshore Supply Association in 1966. Early ship names combined a compass point with Shore; later prefixes varied, and Zapata changed the second element to Service.

UK, Rochester, later London and Great Yarmouth.

Panama.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

Mitchell places O247 on the VTG Supply Boat Liberia card. The significance of the additional blue sea lines in it and O248 is unknown.

OVDS was formed in 1987 by merging Ofotens and Vesteraalens, absorbed Nord-Ferjer in 1989, and merged into Hurtigruten Group in 2006.

Norway, Narvik.

The business began in 1851 as the Cleveland iron-ore house Hewitt & Tuttle. Earl W. Oglebay joined Tuttle in 1884; after Tuttle’s death David Z. Norton joined, producing Oglebay, Norton & Co. in 1890. The source gives competing incorporation dates of 1924 and 15 March 1932, and Lloyds gives 1906 as formation. Columbia Steamship was created for its own ore transport in 1920 or 1921, named for the first vessel through the Soo Locks in 1855. It became Columbia Transportation in 1931 and acquired Valley Camp’s fleet in 1935. The group consolidated in October 1957, with the cited accounts giving both 17 and 31 October. Columbia continued as its shipping division until the 1994–95 reorganisation under the Oglebay name.

Oglebay and American Steamship pooled their fleets as United Shipping Alliance in January 2002; Oglebay also acquired Erie Sand & Gravel that month. Bankruptcy followed in early 2004. To reduce debt, eleven ships were sold: two to Integrated Shipping, six to American Steamship and three to Wisconsin & Michigan. Agreements with Lower Lakes included a long-term freight contract and operation of the Wisconsin & Michigan vessels. Mertens regarded the sales as ending the Oglebay flag’s sea-going use. By 2008 Rosanoski inferred absorption into Carmeuse from the company website’s redirection.

USA, Cleveland, Ohio.

Lloyds dates Ohlrogge’s formation to 1991, though Brake is recorded as bought and renamed in 1990. The vessel was sold without renaming in 2005. Later registers place Ohlrogge under J.H. Barr’s management and as a minor operating company.

Germany, Brake.

Oil Transport appears in Lloyds 1963–64 and 1970–71 under agents Joshua Hendy Corporation, subsequently Hendy International.

USA, Los Angeles, California.

Lloyds 1963–64 lists Oinoussai under N.J. Pateras & Sons for Zoodohospigi. Miramar gives T. Papapateras as owner under that vessel name from 1962 to 1965, followed by a renaming under the same owner.

UK, London.

Japan.

Tokichi Okazaki became a shipowner in the late 1890s and formed Okazaki Kisen, also Okazaki Steamship, in April 1910. Rosanoski identifies an apparent later form as Okazaki Honten Kisen-bu within Okazaki Honten. The business merged into Mitsubishi Kisen in June 1943.

Japan, Kobe.

Okeanski Ribolov, also Bulgarian Ocean Fishing, controlled Bulgaria’s distant-water fishing fleet and operated in the six main Atlantic fishing areas. It was under government control. Financial difficulties were reported from at least 1994, and a court-appointed team was announced in May 1998 to restructure and try to sell the business as a going concern. A 2002 report attributes cessation and liquidation to declining Black Sea fish resources, with an indication that closure had occurred by 2000.

Bulgaria, Bourgas.

Japan.

Rosanoski considers this apparently a maritime institution.

Sweden.

Germany, Hamburg.

Olaf Ringdal appears as a ship manager in the 1939 account and later registers, also as an owner in 1958–59. Many vessels had names beginning with Ring.

Norway, Oslo.

The Dunkerque–Ramsgate logo appears on the hull and perhaps on its red, black-topped funnel, although the timetable view is unclear.

Ole Lauritzen formed Olau in 1956, combining the initial of his first name with part of his surname because he could not use the family name. Initially chartering tankers and cargo ships, it ran UK–Netherlands ferries from 1974 to 1994. Lauritzen sold half to TT-Line in 1979 and the rest in 1980. New ships operated through Olau Line (UK), formed at Sheerness in 1980. Following industrial action the service closed in April 1994 and the two ships went on charter to P&O, later being sold in 2005 under SNAV names. Lauritzen’s subsequent Dunkerque–Ramsgate venture failed after a port blockade and the arrest of Olau Kent on 9 September; the source gives no year for that event.

Denmark, Hellerup and Copenhagen.

Old Dominion was organised in February 1867 to continue Atlantic Coast Mail’s New York–Norfolk–Richmond passenger and freight services. Four months later it absorbed New York & Virginia Steamship, founded in 1850. The name refers to Virginia’s Old Dominion nickname, explained in the source by loyalty to the Stuarts during the English Commonwealth. Eastern Steamship acquired the company in 1923 and continued it as a division until American entry into the Second World War ended operations, which were not revived.

USA, New York.

OPDR was formed in 1882 by August Schultze and Hermann Burmester, moving its head office to Hamburg in 1915. Lloyd’s later amended the foundation date to 1880. The company became Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Rhederei Kusen, Heitmann & Compagnie K.G. in 1953 and adopted the GmbH & Co. K.G. name in 1983. Haniel’s account places its initial interest in 1882, near-total ownership in 1952 and sale in 1995; OPDR instead gives 1895 for the initial shareholding and 1996 for sale as sole shareholder. The Schulte Group bought the company in 1996.

The company operated mainly to Spain and Portugal. FOCS Container Service was established in April 2003.

Germany, Oldenburg and subsequently Hamburg.

Ole Abrahamsen is recorded with Solöy, built in 1943, in Lloyds 1953–4 and as Ole Abrahamsen P/R in 1978–9. The latter entry’s last vessel is named Saaoy. Rosanoski initially reports that he could not locate these vessels in Miramar Ship Index.

A later note describes an apparent connection with Kåre Abrahamsen Partrederi at the same address and with Solöy, previously listed under Ole Abrahamsen in 1970–1. That note cites Miramar for a purchase in 1961 and a wreck on 23 August 1987, without further intervening detail.

Norway, Vedevåg.

Olea operated two ships between 1953 and 1962. Palma was built in 1953 and sold in 1961. Petra was acquired in 1954 under the operated company Regia Reederei & Handelsges. mbH and sold in 1962; Lloyd’s listed Olea as her owner in 1958–59.

Germany, Hamburg.

Recorded in Lloyd’s in 1966–67, Olissipo had Franco Shipping Co. Ltd. [Franco Compañia Naviera S.A.] as agents.

Greece, Athens.

The account of Port Halifax’s 1962 purchase and renaming as Ilena places Olistim in Beirut, with Turkish money behind the purchase, and says operations moved to Famagusta in 1969 under Sanspyridon Shipping. Rosanoski finds this unsupported by Lloyd’s 1963–64 Piraeus entry unless a further move occurred. The register subsequently distinguishes a Lisbon Ltd. company and an Athens Sp. Mar. S.A., whose relationship is unclear. In 1970 the S.A. operated vessels previously listed under the Lisbon company. Mitchell associates Olistim with Eft. Athanassion.

Franco Shipping appears as agent in 1963–64. Olistim was itself Piraeus agent for Alfa Shipping, which Miramar lists as owner of the sole vessel.

Greece, Piraeus; also Lisbon, Portugal, and Athens in the 1966–67 register. Mitchell gives Araeus or Arreus, which Rosanoski could not locate.

A postcard dated 13 May 1916 says the funnel O was being retained: it had first stood for Olson, then Otis and now Orth. The message is signed Wm. W. Hutton.

The barge operator originated in Olson & Mahoney’s steam-schooner business. A share certificate records Oliver Olson Steamship Co. without a formation date. Family-named vessels included Virginia Olson, built in 1917, and Florence Olson, acquired on 24 July 1918. Cynthia Olson was sunk on 7 December 1941. Rosanoski notes a source describing her and other vessels as schooners, although some photographs appear to show ordinary steamships; George Olson is described as becoming a towed lumber barge. In the 1950s the company and Crowley formed Pacific Barging Company, dissolved two years later.

USA, San Francisco and subsequently San Mateo, California.

The later filling-station account describes a merger with Kuwait Petroleum and the OK Q8 name. Its logo, also used on flags, consists of blue and red semicircles side by side, with their open ends facing away from one another.

The Oil Consumers Association was formed in 1945 as Sveriges Oljekonsumenters Riksförbund OK by Kooperativa Förbundet, Bilägarnas Inköpscentral, Svenska Lantmännens Riksförbund, Svenska Andelsfisk and Västkustfiskernas Centralförbund. The source traces Kooperativa Förbundet to a 1939 formation by Superfosfat Fabriks, Svea and Saturnus. A 1956 division between Svea and Superfosfat transferred two ships to OK, establishing its independent shipowning. The name changed to Oljekonsumenternas Förbund in 1963 and apparently later to the heading’s form.

Attempts to liquidate shipping in the 1980s brought in Svenska Varv and led to Rederi A/B Oktetten, which retained OK’s naming pattern and funnel. Ships had Ok-prefixed names. The 1988–89 register lists OK Petroleum under Nordstöm & Thulin’s management; Oktavius was sold in 1989 and apparently chartered back. Shipping appears to have ended in the later 1980s. A later reorganisation account mentions Preem’s formation in 1996 and Texaco taking over parts of the business, but places the wider reorganisation at the end of the 1990s. Mitchell calls it a state oil company, while other accounts describe a co-operative.

Sweden, Stockholm.

Melin became a shipowner by buying a towing vessel in 1895. On 26 December 1946 he gave his ships to his son Olof Erland and daughter Hildeborg Katarina. He died in an accident on 9 September 1949; the last vessel was sold in 1955.

Sweden, Örnsköldsvik.

Olson & Mahoney operated steam schooners and preceded Oliver J. Olson & Co. The partnership is recorded in Lloyd’s 1917–18. Rosanoski suggests it may not have continued after 1918, when Olson is recorded buying a ship.

USA, San Francisco, California; San Mateo in Loughran.

Recorded in Lloyd’s 1963–64, Olympia Navigation used United Venture Navigation Co. Ltd. as agents.

Hong Kong.

Olympic was a small Pacific Northwest line, with four ships in 1949 and Olympic-prefixed names. The FOTW account derives its name from Washington’s Olympic Mountains rather than Greece.

USA, Seattle, Washington.

A leading house in the mid-nineteenth-century China trade, Olyphant, Talbot was parent to Olyphant & Co. of Canton. The account calls its offices “Zion’s Corner” because it refused to trade in opium, describing it as the only major trading house then taking that position.

USA, New York.

Incorporated in 2003 as a closed joint-stock company, Oman Shipping was government-owned through the Ministry of Finance, with 80%, and Oman Oil Co., with 20%. Oman Charter Co. handled chartering and Oman Ship Management Co. ship management. Joint ventures contributed to fleet development.

Sultanate of Oman, Al Khuwair and Muscat.

OMC was incorporated on 10 October 2010 and began operations in April 2011 as the Mitsui & Co. group’s Singapore shipowning arm. Its website describes ownership and management, although Lloyd’s does not list it as manager and places the fleet under other managers.

Singapore.

Omega Navigation Enterprises, or ONE, was formed in 2005 by George Kassiotis, a nephew of Anthony Comninos. Incorporated in the Marshall Islands with offices in Greece, it owned and operated ships and formed joint ventures with Topley Corporation of Glencore, including Megacore Shipping. The source lists Omega Management for technical and operating services and ST Shipping & Transport for commercial management. Target Marine was an associate at the same address.

Greece, Piraeus.

The livery appears to retain its connection with Ogden Marine and Oriental Exporters, although shading in some images suggests minor differences. Ned Smith noted that the funnel markings and logo derived from Oriental Exporters’ flag but could not find a photograph of OMI’s actual house flag in use.

OMI traced its origins to Oriental Exporters, whose founders included Michael Klebanoff. Its website says Ogden established Ogden Marine in 1968 to acquire Oriental affiliates, renamed it OMI Corp. in late 1983 and spun it off on 4 January 1984. Lloyd’s instead gives 1960 as the foundation and 1984 for the name change, while Mitchell places the separation in 1986. In June 1998 the international-flag business was spun off into a Marshall Islands OMI Corporation. The remaining US-flag vessels, lightering and management business acquired Marine Transport Lines and became Marine Transport Corporation. A later interview describes the acquisition and spin-off in the reverse sequence, while confirming the separation of foreign and US businesses.

A joint acquisition and division of OMI by Torm and Teekay was announced on 18 April 2007, with completion expected in the second quarter. Earlier subsidiaries included OMI Bulk Management and OMI Offshore Marine Services; the latter continued under Marine Transport Corporation. OMI Marine Services was formed in 1998.

USA, New York and subsequently Stamford, Connecticut.

The company is recorded in Lloyd’s 1963–64.

Hong Kong.

A separate Alexander Onassis Shipping funnel is recorded under Victory Carriers’ agency and later for Condor Finaciera Panama and Rosedale Navigation. Its band may be a shade of red.

Aristotle Socrates Onassis, born in Smyrna in 1906, emigrated to Argentina in 1923 and entered tobacco importing. He became a shipowner in 1931, initially laying the ships up for two years. Vessels were registered in Greece or Argentina, with the Greek registrations transferred to Panama in 1932. He died in 1975.

Olympic Shipping & Management is recorded as formed in 1951 as Panama Maritime, subsequently becoming Olympic Maritime and taking its later name in 1982. Another account dates its establishment to 1932. The group’s interests included Olympic Whaling, sold to Kyokuyo in March 1956, and a brief Pacific-Mediterranean Line venture with Stavros Niarchos and Costa Gratsos from 1946 to about November 1947. Associates included El Grupo Arisona and Victory Carriers. Springfield Shipping was formed in 2004. Ships generally had Olympic-prefixed names.

Monaco, Monte Carlo.

Accounts differ over the firm’s beginnings: an establishment date of 1874 is stated without support on the cited website, while the museum account places Onesimus Dorey’s founding of the Plymouth, Channel Islands & Brittany Steamship concern in the 1880s. Other evidence connects him with it from 1877 to 1898 and records ownership of Commerce in 1878. After a wreck and forced sale in 1898, a new company was formed; further loss led to chartering before bank assistance enabled another purchase. Services ended during the Depression, but Dorey continued by managing coal transport to the islands. The fleet moved to London in 1940.

The business used Onesimus Dorey & Sons from 1907 and an incorporated form from 1930. Peter Dorey, the founder’s grandson, acquired two-thirds of Condor in 1963. A 1972 reorganisation separated the holding interests from cargo shipping, operated by Onesimus Dorey (1972); the Shipowners name is dated 1976 by Lloyds and 1977 in another account. Peter’s widow continued after his death in the Fastnet Race, eventually offering the business for sale before a Fisher takeover. Another note apparently dates that takeover to 1972, leaving the chronology uncertain. Operations ceased in March 1983, but the name was retained and registered as a Dublin shipowner in 1989; later Lloyds listings continued.

Channel Islands/U.K., St. Peter’s Port, Guernsey.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

Haakon Onstad formed A/S Moltzaus Tankrederi II in 1932 with Pan Gothia. The vendors retained an interest, and Rederi A/B Pagota was established for Swedish registration. He and his brother Niels formed Onstad Shipping in 1935. After Norway’s occupation in 1940, Haakon moved to Kungsbacka and formed Kungsoil, followed by Monacus in 1943. Niels ran both Norwegian and Swedish businesses, using Onstad family names for their ships. Pan American Steamship probably ceased in 1962 when its sole vessel transferred to Onstad. Other operated interests included Aamodts and Niels Onstads Tankrederi.

The late-1970s tanker Nanny was built as a venture with Uddevallavaret, held 75% by Onstad and 25% by the yard. Munkedals took over Onstad’s share, and ownership later passed to the state concern named Zenith, which Rosanoski could not identify. The Norwegian company was liquidated in 1985.

Also listed as Terminal Co. Ltd., the company was formed in 2004 and shown as controlled by the Government of the Russian Federation. Its operating company OOO DV Ryboprodukt, formed in 2000, shared the address.

Russia, Vladivostok.

Founded in 1960, Oost Atlantic Lijn operated through name subsidiaries and managed other companies. Initially recorded as an N.V., it appears as a B.V. by 1973–74. Yemen Gulf Line was an associate.

Netherlands, Rotterdam; also Antewerp, Belgium, in Lloyd’s 1970–71, with Rotterdam alone in 1978–79.

Also recorded as Belskoe Rechnoe Parakhodstvo or Belsk River Shipping, the government-controlled company operated passenger and cargo vessels, tugs and other craft on rivers and in the Azov and Black Seas. Rosanoski found references suggesting continued operation in March 2009.

USSR; Russia, Ufa; Republic of Bashkortostan.

Formed in 1917, Ore Steamship was a Bethlehem Steel subsidiary carrying only its parent’s cargoes: ore to the mills and steel to markets. Calmar operated it, and vessel names had an ore suffix. By 1958–59 it was recorded as Ore Navigation Corporation, acting as manager, with the fleet appearing under Marven Steamship Corporation.

USA, New York.

Oregon Steamship appears in Lloyd’s from 1963–64 to 1980–81. NJK identifies Continental Grain as owner. Vessel names began with L.

U.K., London.

The association was founded in 1981. Saudi Arabia approved and ratified its statute. In 1993 the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers asked it to establish a shipping company to carry cargo between Islamic ports and promote trade. The Islamic summits in Tehran and Doha supported the proposal, and resolutions acknowledged permission to establish the company’s headquarters in Jeddah under the name Bakkah Shipping Company, or BASCO.

Saudi Arabia, Jedah.

Haruyuki Hirose began the coastal service Hirose Unyu in 1946, incorporating Hirose Unyu K.K. at Tsushima-cho in March 1967. Orient Line Ltd. followed in February 1986 and became Orient Line Co. Ltd. in November 1993. Both offices moved to Matsuyama in October 1999. After Hirose’s 2001 reorganisation, the two merged in April 2003 as Hirose Unyu Co. Ltd., then renamed Orient Line Co. Ltd.; the office moved to Ichiban-cho, Matsuyama, in August 2005. Lloyd’s separately gives a 1987 foundation, later amended to 1973, which Rosanoski thinks may refer to the first ocean-going acquisitions in August 1973.

Japan, Tsushima.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

Orient Mid-East (U.K.) acted as agent for Evermia Compañia Naviera, Orient Marine, Orient Mid-East Great Lakes Service and Orient Mid-East Lines. The Great Lakes company is recorded in 1963–64 and 1970–71.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

The O87 flag is supported by a company logo. Loughran shows the first flag with a white field, while the later Brown illustration is yellow. Vessels sometimes flew the flag of Island Navigation Corporation Ltd.

The earlier Nüsse illustration used for O333 was displayed upside down; his later site corrected it. Rosanoski considered the correctly oriented design the same as O88. The flower has five petals, one long stamen along the middle of each petal, and five pairs of shorter stamens between them, converging on a small white central disc. O88 has white stamens; Brown depicts them in black, which Rosanoski regarded as presumably a printing error.

The flag dated 1993 is yellow with red “OOCL” lettering. A flower occupies the second “O”; its orientation differs from the earlier flower and its petals are yellow with red stamens.

John Ma identified the flower as a plum blossom stylized in the Republic of China–Taiwan manner, and related that symbolism to C.Y. Tung’s alignment with the Taiwanese cause.

Photographs of flags at sea between at least 2005 and 2010 suggest a creamy-yellow field matching the funnel and a larger emblem than on the table flags. Rosanoski allowed for fading and suggested that there might instead have been separate sea and shore versions. His OOCL Europe photograph is referenced as O334 in the text; it is not an additional image in this gallery.

Orient Overseas is dated to 1946. Its founder, C.Y. Tung, developed international services as Orient Overseas Line after a ship with an all-Chinese crew reached the Atlantic coasts of the United States and Europe in 1947. Containerization brought the Orient Overseas Container Line name in 1969. The early ships appear to have operated through Chinese Maritime Trust Ltd., later Chinese Maritime Transport Ltd., with Orient Overseas Line apparently a trade name. C H Tung succeeded his father in 1982, and C C Tung succeeded him in 1996.

China, Hong Kong; the registered office was at Hamilton, Bermuda, and the principal office in Hong Kong.

Founded in 1984, Orient Ship Management became OSM Maritime Services Ltd. in 2001. Its fleet included name companies such as Chang Bai Shan Shipping and Hang Yip Shipping. Acomarit (U.K.) managed most of the fleet by 2000. Orient’s own management clients had included Cargill International and Chang Bai Shan before the latter was listed as a name company.

China, Hong Kong.

Orient Shipping Line was founded in 1933 and dissolved in 1934. The FOTW account describes five German Jews establishing it to take their money out of Nazi Germany, buying Dora and Carola and sending them from Hamburg to Haifa under German command. Kashtan’s account identifies the founders as the Elsner brothers of Haifa and says German captains were required for the departure. After arrival, the German crews or captains were replaced. Kashtan specifies registration under British Mandatory Palestine and Jewish captains; the FOTW account says the vessels then sailed only with the house flag. The ships were sold when the business closed.

Germany; British Mandate of Palestine, Haifa.

The sources disagree over whether the crown lies wholly on the flag’s cross or extends beyond it. Black funnels are dated 1877–1906 and buff 1906–65; another account says buff was first adopted for passenger ships and then throughout the fleet. Early buff funnels had black Admiralty-type “clergymen’s hat” tops, replaced in post-war ships by black “Welsh hat” tops.

The Orient Line name dated to 1863, while Orient Steam Navigation was formed in 1877 or 1878 for the Australian service of Anderson, Anderson & Co., F. Green & Co. and Pacific Steam Navigation. Accounts differ over whether the Anderson and Green firms formally merged in 1874 or only in 1918–19. Closer co-operation with Pacific after the 1898 depression brought the Orient Pacific name. Royal Mail acquired Pacific’s Australian interests in 1905 or 1906 and the service became Orient-Royal Mail, incorporated in February 1906; its end is variously dated 1909 and 1910.

P&O acquired 51% in 1919. An Orient & Pacific service was jointly established in 1958. P&O’s ownership became complete in 1965, with the P&O-Orient name, and Orient was dropped in 1966. Ship names generally began with O, later specified as Or, though exceptions occurred.

U.K., London.

John and Philip Koo, third-generation members of the Koo shipping family, formed Orient Steamship in 2003. Its headquarters were in Hong Kong and ship management in Vancouver. The source notes indications of recent integration with Valles Steamship (Canada), without confirming it.

China, Hong Kong.

Oriental Exporters appears to have begun operations in 1961, taking Hudson as an example. Michael Klebanoff was a founder. Ogden Marine bought affiliates in 1968, possibly the individual shipowning companies. Oriental Exporters remained listed as agent for Oriental Transport’s Ogden Exporter in 1980–81; that vessel appears under OMI’s agency in 1985–86.

USA, New York.

Oriental Line operated as charterer.

Japan.

Documentary material — company attribution not established

The extracted document lacks a title and Country section. External evidence strongly supports the filename identity and Switzerland, but the incomplete source and blank pipeline country require mapping/source review; Randa's acquisition year also differs.

Two funnels are described: a black one on Adfines Sky, photographed on 13 March 2014, and a blue one on San Pietro, photographed on 15 June 2014.

The document records the purchase of the first vessel, Randa, in 1986, followed by investment in the first tankers and Fast Support Intervention Vessels in 1998. An Odessa office opened in 2002. Suisse-Outremer was founded in 2004 to group vessel ownership, and Bayside Services S.A. was acquired in 2005 for shipbroking and financial services.

Orion Expedition Cruises, or OEC, was registered on 11 March 2004 and founded by Sarina Bratton. The Australian-owned operator began cruises in 2005 with chartered Orion, owned by Explorer Maritime with Helios Shipping of Piraeus as agent.

Australia, Sydney.

Founded after the Second World War by the Goulasdris brothers descended from Peter (Petros), Orion later became Global Chartering & Brokerage. Their brother-in-law George Embiricos and uncle Demosthenes Dampasis joined in 1950. Agency clients included Adriatic, Alora, Bilmar, Giralda and Overseas Carrying.

USA, New York.

The FOTW commentary explains Orion as the hunter killed by Artemis and made into a constellation, whose three diagonal central stars form Orion’s Belt.

The Shipping Co. Orion was founded in 1912 and long managed by C.P. Jensen. Its three steamships were Venus, Astra and Orion, the last delivered in 1919 and sold in 1957. The dormant company was taken over in 1986 by businessmen who renamed it Orion Ltd.; Lloyd’s gives 1986 as its formation. After selling its last asset in 1997, it was acquired and reorganised by B.E.L. Holding & Investment, parent of P.E.P. Shipping. Camillo Eitzen acquired 93.1% in September 2007.

The company appears in Lloyd’s 1963–64 and 1970–71 as fleet manager for the Secretary of State, specified in the latter edition as the Secretary of State for Scotland for one vessel.

U.K., Kirkwall.

Orosol is listed in 1963–64 with Mathews, Wrightson, Burbidge as agents, and in 1970–71 with Transpetrol.

U.K., London; Greece, Athens by 1970–71.

Formed in 1996, Orpheus appears as agent in the 1998 register and as manager in 2011–12.

Greece, Piraeus.

Osaka Asahi Kaiun, also Osaka Asahi Marine Transportation, was formed in 1960. It acted as agent for Asahi Marine (Panama), subsequently listed as a name company formed in 1985. The fleet initially used Asahi Maru names, with other names appearing later.

Japan, Tokyo and Osaka in successive registers; Kobe according to Mitchell.

Osaka Shosen, also Osaka Mercantile Steamship or OSK, began in May 1884 as an amalgamation involving fifty-five shipowners. Loughran instead gives 1913. It merged into Mitsui OSK Lines on 1 January 1964, following a contract signed on 19 December 1963; the source accounts name the other party as Mitsui Sempaku and Mitsui Kinkai respectively.

Merchant Ships lists Nippon Yusen as owner. The recorded subsidiary and associated interests include Kokusai Kisden, taken over in 1937, Settsyu Kisen, Harada Kisen from 1938, and controlled Taiyo Kaiun.

Japan, Osaka.

The shipbuilder expanded into shipowning. Loughran dates this to the early 1970s, but Rosanoski notes disagreement with earlier Lloyd’s entries beginning in 1953–54.

Japan, Osaka.

The company appears to have originated from Schröder & Farstad, a partnership operating from 1965 to 1975. Ole Schröder & Co. branched out independently. The later company account dates Ole Schröder & Co. A/S to 1967, its change to Osco Shipping A/S to 1982, to Osco Shipping Services A/S to 1989, and its return to Ole Schröder & Co. A/S to 1991. The register listings do not align exactly with this sequence.

Norway, Oslo.

Oskar Wehr began in 1945 with the motor-sailer Anne. In the mid-1960s Kapitän Wehr decided to operate ashore through the newly founded Oskar Wehr K.G. The company history calls Janne Wehr, commissioned in 1968, that firm’s first vessel; Rosanoski notes that the registers already list Helga Wehr, purchased and renamed in 1954, which the history omits. By 2013 the third generation under Jürgen Wehr was engaged in tramp chartering, operational management and freight agency, with ships built through investment partnerships.

The registers separately listed Reederei Oskar Wehr K.G. at the same address in 1978–1979, combining the entries by 1980–1981. Later fleets were held through named subsidiaries and the company’s own name.

Germany: Hamburg-Altona, Hamburg-Rissen and Hamburg; Schenefeld in Lloyd’s 1998.

Oslo Bulk was a privately owned Norwegian holding company, also known as Oslobulk Shipping AS and Oslo Bulk Shipping AS, with bases in Singapore and Kaliningrad. One account describes five investors, while the listed investors number six. It acquired half of HAV Ship Management in 2010, and International Shipholding acquired 25% of Oslo Bulk that year. Vessels used Oslo Bulk followed by a number.

Norway, Oslo.

Formed in 1988 as Invest 2000, the company changed its name in 1989. Its operating subsidiaries included Northern Navigation Norway, formed in 1989 as Pan Shipping and renamed in 1992, and K/S VLCC Invest 1, formed in 1988 with its vessel managed by C.H. Sorensen & Sonner.

Norway, Oslo.

Originally Port Jackson Wool Dumping Pty. Ltd., the company became Osmarine (Australia) and was deregistered on 7 January 1983. Cunard is recorded as owner in 1969, and Adelaide Steamship as an associate.

Australia, Sydney.

Osprey was formed in 1993. Debt-financed acquisitions of Petrobulk and Gotaas Larsen in the later 1990s led to a credit watch in October 1998. Gotaas-Larsen, bought in mid-1997, became Osprey Maritime (Europe) in 1998. The Petrobulk purchase is variously dated 1996, early 1997 and 1998–99. John Fredriksen’s World Shipholding began acquiring Osprey in August 2000, passed 50% in November, reached 90% in January 2001 and completed acquisition in May. Golar LNG acquired the LNG interests on 21 May 2001; the European management company was sold to Frontline on 2 July and became Golar Management (UK).

Osprey bought half of Thome Ship Management in early 1995 and sold it to Olav Eek Thortensen and an associated investment company in August 1999. GL Monaco’s shareholding in Osprey rose from 13.75% in 1997 to 23.63% in October 1998.

Singapore.

OWH was formed in 1996 as Ost-West-Handel Bruno Bischoff and adopted the later name in 2000. Lloyd’s lists it as a Samskip operating company in 2000 and as manager in 2011–12.

Germany, Bremen.

Recorded as F. Osterwisch & Co. K.G. in 1953–54, the business subsequently appears under Friedrich Osterwisch and Friedrich Osterwisch & Son before the later heading. Peter Döhle managed it in 1963–64. It later managed partnerships and individual ship companies, also appearing as owner in 1980–81 and as manager and agent in 1985–86.

Germany, Hamburg.

Oswego appears to have been a group of Liberian companies operating chartered vessels. A later account dates Marine Transport Lines’ merger with the Trinity/Oswego Group to 1958; Rosanoski identifies Trinity Marine as the probable reference because it used the same emblem. Oswego Leader is recorded from at least 1959. Many Oswego companies used Marine Transport Lines as agent, including Oswego Chemical Carriers, formed in 1963 and later listed as its name company.

Oswego Shipping is recorded as merging into American Steamship on 1 March 1967, though it also appears in the 1978–79 register listing.

Liberia, Monrovia.

Rosanoski considers it possible that the Swedish company’s name and flag were sold with its assets after the 1982 liquidation, but does not establish the later context of the flag’s continued website use.

OTAL’s website dates its formation to 1975, while Mitchell gives 1974, when former BFI management established it with Johansson Group ships. After Johansson’s 1982 bankruptcy, management bought the line with Nigerian interests and Stena; Stena sold to BFI in 1984, leaving it wholly owned by BFI’s parent Antrak. In January 1998 OTAL Holdings brought together OT Africa Line, Antrak Marine and Antrak Logistics. African Ro Ro, Antrak Liner Services and Crosstrades were merged into OT Africa Line. OTAL and Antrak International were sold to Bolloré in October 1999, remaining organisationally separate from Delmas, and were bought by CMA-CGM in 2006. OTAL France had been established in 1995.

Nigeria; Birmingham, U.K., in the later website account.

Formed in 2002, Othello owned and operated specialised LPG and chemical-gas carriers. Ultragas International acquired it in 2006. Rosanoski infers a change to Ultragas ApS during Ultramar’s 2012 rebranding, from the old website redirecting to the new name. It participated in the Unigas International Pool.

Denmark, Copenhagen.

Otto Alfred Müller founded OAM on 1 November 1890 to import English coal. Growing demand for Bolsover coal led to construction of Gretchen Müller at Rostock in 1908. On his death in 1929, Otto Franz Jacob became managing director and Friedrich Sauerland a partner with a one-third interest. Further coal businesses were acquired in 1936–38.

After the war Otto A. Ottmüller joined the partnership, followed by Gert Ottmüller in the early 1950s. OAM withdrew from deep-sea fishing in 1956 and from American coal imports that year, concentrating on privately mined coal outside the National Coal Board. Maritime associates included Delphin Schiffahrt, Bulkmaster Shipping and Bulktrader Shipping.

Germany, Hamburg.

Percy Banck is listed as manager in 1953–1954, 1958–1959 and 1963–1964.

Sweden, Helsingfors.

The business originated in 1942 when Captain Otto B. Candies was asked to supply small-craft support to an oil rig, clearing water lilies from an access canal. Earlier registers use Otto Candies Inc.; later listings use Otto Candies LLC, as owners and managers in 2011–12.

USA, Des Allemands LA.

Listed as Kapitän Otto Fahje in 1953–54, the concern appears as Otto Fahje & Sohn by 1958–59 and later as manager. It managed the subsidiary Helfried Fahje, which was listed in its own right in 1985–86.

Fleet names used the suffix “stein”.

Germany, Hamburg.

Philipp Otto Giese, born on 8 November 1914, obtained his master’s licence after wartime U-boat service and established a line trading in the North Sea, Baltic, Caribbean and Far East. He began with Ann-Christen, built in 1952. He left the sea for Florida in 1964, became a US citizen in 1968, and managed the [Filletee] Green Steamship Agency at Pensacola until retiring in 1981.

Germany, Bremen.

Otto Hellsten appears in the 1937–38, 1953–54 and 1958–59 registers. The first records a Lloyds subscription dating from 1911; this is not a stated formation date.

Sweden, Stockholm.

The Bryggan account places the start of Kihlström’s Gothenburg shipping activities in the early 1950s, involving Dalen, Fraternitas, August Leffler & Son and Rederi A/B Jan. Another source records Glomdal delivered to Dalen under Kihlström in July 1940. Jörgen Lorentsen bought the business in 1954 but retained Swedish registration and offices; Rosanoski thinks Dalen and Fraternitas were owned while the others were managed. Mitchell describes a takeover by August Leffler & Sons, whereas Bryggan’s Jan account gives absorption by Broström in 1965, consistent with Broström’s Leffler takeover.

Sweden, Gothenburg.

On Taucher O Wulf 8, the rear edge of the white band follows the funnel top, but its forward edge follows the W, making the white narrower at the bottom. Taucher O Wulf 5 instead has equal white-band width at top and bottom, with the red widths varying according to the funnel’s sloping sides.

Kapitän Otto Wulf, born in 1887, founded his salvage company in 1921. The business is described as managed by the fourth generation. Wulf Seetransporte is a subsidiary operated jointly with Reederei Frank Dahl. Nüsse records the family name as Wulff.

Germany, Cuxhaven.

Outokumpu’s shipping was managed by Finnlines in 1978–79 and 1985–86. Listed as Outokumpu Transport by 1992–93, it was then managed by Henry Nielsen, later Nielsen Shipping Services. Its sole vessel subsequently passed to Engship.

Finland, Helsinki.

Formed in 1929, the business became Skou International in 1989, SITE International in 1991 and Tschudi & Eitzen International in 1993. Its operated interests included D/S AF 1937 and Ove Skou Rederi, also recorded under management.

Denmark, Copenhagen.

Overseas Carrying used Orion Shipping & Trading as agent. Rosanoski considers it apparently one of several companies with former Andros Shipping vessels and similar funnels distinguished by their initial letters.

USA, New York.

New colours were adopted in January 1987.

Overseas Containers was formed in 1965 by a consortium of P&O, Furness Withy, Ocean Transport & Trading and British & Commonwealth. Mitchell also names Shaw Savill & Albion and Scottish Shire Line alongside P&O. Container Fleets was established as manager, with all its activities taken over by Overseas Containers on 31 May 1981. P&O gained full control in mid-1986, buying Ocean’s 32% and British & Commonwealth’s 20%, and renamed the company P&O Containers from 1 January 1987.

The Australian company was an initial shareholder in Seatainer Terminals, incorporated in May 1966. Swire Straits Container Line was formed jointly with John Swire in November 1978, with Overseas Containers holding 74%.

Hong Kong in Lloyd’s 1978–79; U.K., London, in 1980–81.

The company began with Hongkong Clipper, bought in 1961 and broken up in 1974 along with Pacific Telstar. Its agents were Associated Maritime Industries in New York and Island Navigation in Tokyo, with the latter alone listed in 1970–71.

USA, New York, and Japan, Tokyo; Tokyo alone in Lloyd’s 1970–71.

OSG was formed in 1969 with a general-services agreement with Maritime Overseas Corporation. It comprised companies previously listed individually as single-ship concerns. It disposed of all its Double Hull Tankers holdings on 22 June 2007.

The group included wholly owned Aqua Tanker and acquired Maritrans Operating Company. OSG Ship Management in New York was formed in 1998; Souter Shipping became OSG Ship Management (UK) in 2001, and acquired Stelmar Tanker (Management) became OSG Ship Management (Gr) on 21 January 2005. Joint ventures included Celebrity Cruises (Management), formed in October 1992, and Alaska Tanker, formed in 1999. Archer Daniels Midland remained a substantial long-term shareholder until early 2007.

USA, New York.

The company used Maritime Overseas Corporation as agent in 1963–64 and Maritime Overseas Co. Ltd. in 1970–71. By 1973–74 it was listed under its own name at both agents’ addresses.

USA, New York; U.K., London in the later register.

Also translated as Overseas Shipping Society, the company is recorded in Lloyd’s 1958–59.

Netherlands, Rotterdam.

Sir Robert Owens founded the group in 1953 as a shipping and stevedoring agency. His backing of Mogal Transportation in 1977 developed into full control and a substantial trucking business. Listed in 1985, the group restructured in 1987. Mainfreight’s 2003 takeover reached 80% by October and full ownership in July 2005, after which Owens delisted but continued operating. Its stevedoring interests also combined with Union Shipping’s in New Zealand Stevedoring.

In 1969 Owens arranged to bareboat-charter Aotearoa through New Zealand Sea Transport, incorporated on 11 August that year. The ship belonged to Mitsui-OSK’s wholly owned New Zealand Eastern Line. Operating losses led to withdrawal from the trade in mid-1972. New Zealand Sea Transport apparently later became Nedlloyd Owen Agencies.

New Zealand, Tauranga at formation.

The port was registered as a separate company in 1990, owned by the municipality and SSAB Oxelösund, although Lloyd’s entries precede that date. Its tugs were sold to Röda Bolaget in 1999 to remain stationed at Oxelösund.

Sweden, Oxelösund.

The business grew from Hans Langh’s industrial cleaning activities, established in 1973 and serving shipyards and shipping companies by 1975. He bought a share in a company restoring a fire-damaged ship in 1980 and acquired his first vessel, renamed Laura, in 1983. Lloyds gives 1989 as the company’s formation date. Earlier listings place Hans Langh under Godby Shipping’s management and later the company under Rederi A/B Engship; by 2001–02 it appears under its own name.

Finland, Piikkio.

Victor Matveev founded Solchart in 1996. Its Russian managing director was based in Finland from that year, and the company focused on timber transport.

Finland, Helsinki.