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Contship Containerlines

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Contship Containerlines was a global container carrier operating from 1968 to 2005 in the India/Pakistan, Levant, Australia/New Zealand, South America and Asia trade. Throughout its years of operation in the container shipping industry, Contship gained an enviable reputation not only for high quality service, but also for the close co-operation which existed with its customers and suppliers world-wide. Contship offered a unique combination of traditional values, combined with innovation, ingenuity, unwavering attention to detail and investment in modern equipment and technology.

History

In 1968 Dr. Angelo Ravano founded Contship SA in Switzerland. The company's first sailing was undertaken by the M.V. Sea Maid from Fos to Casablanca in October 1969. During 1970 an agency arm was set up in Milan and terminal operatons were started at La Spezia. Some 8.000 TEU were handled in the first year. The following years saw the seeds grow quickly and a european network with subsidiaries in Spain and the Netherlands in 1973 and 1974 were build up. The transfer of the agency representation in Milan to Genoa in 1974 was accompanied by the expansion of the service portfolio to eastern mediterranean ports. In 1976 Ellerman City Liners appointed Contship's agency arm in Portugal. 1977 two important steps were made with the formation of a UK subsidiary and the launch of the first direct container service between Europe and India. This move reflected the ambitions to become a significatn player on key routes. In becoming the first shipping line to handle containers in Bombay (now Mumbai), the die was cast for a pioneering approach to container shipping. More experience of working partnerships was gained from 1979 through the formation of th Contship Gulf Line as a joint service agreement with Ellerman City Lines - a new service that linked Europe with the Near East.

In the second decade, the company's development quickened apace. In moving their Headquarter from Switzerland to Felixtowe and then Ipswich, Contship became a firm part of the UK's shipping establishment. The early 80s saw Contship expanding and widening their interests. In Spain, they won the agency representation for Trans Freight Lines. In the UK, they shared in the setting up of Arrowfreight, a freight forwarding operation. Meanwhile, a group holding company was established in Curacao. All simple steps in enhancing the company's international presence and reputation. Eagle Container Line linking North Europe and the Mediterranean with Australia commenced in 1982 as a non-converence service gave customers the choice of a competitively priced an equally reliable option. With new agency companies in France and Italy, the start of the Euroasia Container Line and the introduction of 1000 teu vessels into the Eagle service, 1985 was a busy year. In terms of becoming a global operator, 1986 was especially significant as it saw the formation of Ocean Star Container LIne, operating a westbound round-the world service. The following year saw the commencement of the Medipas service operating between the Mediterranean and India/Pakistan. In 1987 the Contship Containerlines brand was established. It gradually took over management control of Contship's container shipping services, agency and intermodal activities. At the end of the second decade, Ocean Star was expanded to include an Australian/Far East leg and North European ports of call. With the acquisition of Costa Containerline they started a Med - US East/Gulf Coast Service.

In the 90s, the pace quickened even more with new vessels for the Eagle service, a revision of the Costa operation and start of the Salerno Terminal operations. 1991 was a year that saw pioneering changes to our Indian Sub-Continent service with CMB Transport joining Contship Euroasia Line through a joint service agreement. Joint service agreements have always played an important part in Contship's activities. In 1993 just such an agreement with P&O brought a restructuring of the Eagle service and an upgrade of Ocean Star with the addition of larger tonnage. Further tonnage upgrading was made ot Contship's Euroasia service and the Gulf Line was reconfigured as Contship Levant LIne in association with four partners in 1994. With terminal operations starting in Savona and Gioia Tauro in 1995, they made further service improvements, with restructuring of the Euroasia/Medasia services and the establishing of a Med_US Gulf and Mexico service. In 1996 the Levant service was modified and the Mediterranean-US/Mexico service was upgraded. The company also took over the Pro LIne, thereby bringing Contship Containerlines into the trade between North Europe and South America. A new era began in 1997 when Contship was accquired by CP Ships. The Ocean Star service was retonnaged and Contship entered into partnership with the CMA-CGM Group and Marfret in 1998. 1999 was a year of consolidating existing operations and building a platform for further growth. They made significant cost efficiencies, imporved their profitability and entered new and complementary trade lanes including the US West Coast to the Mediterranean.

2001 a new service between China and Europe was established in co-operation with CMA-CGM, however this trade had to be withdrawn from the market in early March 2003 due to lack of profitablity caused by Import/Export imbalances, low freight rates and high fixed slot costs. In January 2006 the Contship Containerlines brand was replaced by the CP Ships brand following CP's one brand strategy promoted by the "One brand - One team" project, beeing the last CP Ships brand which was retired. In late 2005 CP Ships was bought up by TUI AG and merged in mid 2006 into the Hapag-Lloyd organization.

Awards

  • Lloyd's of London Press Liner Analysis Award for:
    • Eagle Service
    • Eastabout Service
    • Euroasia, Read Sea & Middle East Services
    • Levant Service
    • North Europe - South America Service
  • Daily Commercial News Lloyd's Award for:
    • Eagle Service
    • Eastabout Service
    • Mediterranean Service

International identifiers

SCAC Code: CSQU
Operator Code: CSA

Vessels

Build Name Tonnage Capacity Shipyard Lloyds Reg. Call sign Flag Status/Comments
1997 (1996) Contship Action 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9122215 DLHV Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1996) Contship Ambition 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9122203 P3GU7 Cyprus 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1996) Contship Spirit 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9153381 DDJI Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1996) Contship Nobility 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9128192 DGKV Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1996) Contship Optimism 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9128207 DGOL Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1996) Contship Romance 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9128207 DLCT Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1996) Contship Vision 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9128180 DGGV Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 Contship Champion (I) 31730 GT 2758 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9064865 DGRF Germany 1996: / 1997 CP / 2003 sold
1997 (1994) Contship Sydney 23540 GT 2078 TEU Stocznia Gdanska S.A., Gdynia 9062984 ? ? 1994: / 1997 CP / 2005: CP Dynasty / Operating
1997 (1995) Contship Melbourne 23540 GT 2078 TEU Stocznia Gdanska S.A., Gdynia ? ? ? 1995: / 1997 CP / 2005: CP Voyager / Operating
1997 Contship London 26131 GT 2124 TEU China SB Corp., Kaohsiung 9152739 ELVX4 Liberia 2005: CP London / Operating
1998 Contship Rome 26131 GT 2124 TEU China SB Corp., Kaohsiung 9152753 ELVZ6 Liberia 2005: CP Rome / Operating
1998 Contship Wellington 26131 GT 2124 TEU China SB Corp., Kaohsiung ? ? ? 2002: Direct Kea / 2005: CP Kea / Operating
1998 Contship Auckland 26131 GT 2124 TEU China SB Corp., Kaohsiung 9160396 ELWA2 Liberia 2005: CP Auckland / Operating
1997 Contship Washington 26131 GT 2124 TEU China SB Corp., Kaohsiung 9152741 ELVZ5 Liberia 2002: Direct Tui / 2005: CP Tui / Operating
2002 Contship Aurora 46009 GT 4115 TEU Daewoo SB & Marine Eng. Co. Ltd., Okpo 9232565 ZIZP9 United Kingdom 2005: CP Aurora / Operating
2002 Contship Australis 46009 GT 4115 TEU Daewoo SB & Marine Eng. Co. Ltd., Okpo 9232577 VQEN3 United Kingdom 2005: CP Australis / Operating
2002 Contship Borealis 46009 GT 4115 TEU Daewoo SB & Marine Eng. Co. Ltd., Okpo 9232589 VQEN2 United Kingdom 2005: CP Borealis / Operating
2003 Contship Indigo 39941 GT 4311 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9238753 VQJW4 United Kingdom 2005: CP Indigo / 2006: Bavaria Express / Operating
2003 Contship Tamarind 39941 GT 4311 TEU Samsung SB & Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd., Koje 9238765 VQMM2 United Kingdom 2005: CP Tamarind / 2006: Thuringia Express / Operating
2003 (1994) Contship Champion (II) 35595 GT 3538 TEU Hyundai Heavy Industries Ltd., Ulsan 9064865 DGRF Germany 1994: / 2003 CP / 2005: CP Champion / Operating
2003 (1994) Contship Innovator 35595 GT 3538 TEU Hyundai Heavy Industries Ltd., Ulsan 9064877 DNFA Germany 1994: / 2003 CP / 2005: CP Innovator / Operating
  • GT = Gross Tonnage / BRT / BRZ


References

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