# Atlantic-Rhederei Chemical Ships



## willincity (Jul 11, 2007)

Can any one advise me if the German chemical tanker owner Atlantic-Rhederei is still in business?
Many (if not all) of their fleet were named after North American Indian tribes,
Sioux, Iowa, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Navajo etc a varied in size about 2 to 6000 ton
They were a very well thought of in the chemical market place in the 80's and renowned for carrying anything (slack wax into the Baltic in January – Prop OX down the Med in July) which many other owners would not touch,/ then come the early 90's I never saw of heard of them again. Although I did see one in Rowbotham’s livery but only running lube oils in NW Europe for EXXON.
I met a few Croatian officers that sailed in them although they were effectively employed by a Cypriot manning agency.
Info appreciated


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Willincity,

Atlantic Tanker Reederie(Rhederei) formed by John T Essberger in 1924. It then became Atlantic Tanker Reederei J&W Joch KG. They, as you stated operated a small coastal tanker fleet and sophisticated chemical carriers and also VLCC'S. The Company is still active but is now part of the Broere Essberger Chempool fleet to which they contribute 12 of the 26 strong fleet of modern and highly sophisticated chemical tankers. They operate in the Europe - Baltic - Continent Med and Black Sea areas. The fleet comprise vessel of between 2,500 tons and 6,500 tons. If you would like to see their fleet follow the link attached and you can see the vessels particulars and also there are photographs of each vessel.

www.broereshipping.nl/english/liquidcargo/broere/fleet.php

Regards
Hawkey01


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## willincity (Jul 11, 2007)

Many thanks for the information and feed back Hawkey, 
I was aware of the “Broere Essberger Chempool” fleet but had no idea the Atlantic Tanker Reederie was the creation of Essberger.
Again in the same Chempool until today I though the Norwegian owned “SeaTrans” ships were involved but after a re-think and looking at it again i notice they are hooked up with the other German Owner "United Chemical Transport" UTC.
I think Stolt's coastal fleet are with the Multitank ships to form their own Chempool aswell.
Amazing thing the E.U "anti competition laws"


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## Thamesphil (Jul 22, 2005)

Hawkey,

I believe your info is incorrect. The modern incarnation of Atlantic Rhederi F&W Joch GmbH and co K.G. had no relationship with John T. Essberger. There may have been a connection way back in time (you mention 1924) but the companies operated totally independently throughout 1960s - 1990s. Atlantic Rhederi eventually went out of business in the 1990s, though some of their ships are still trading for other owners.

Phil


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Afternoon Phil,

You could well be right but according to everything that I have seen the two seem to be interconnected or should I say the three. In house flags it states that Atlantic Tank Rhederei which later became Atlantic Rhederie F&W Joch FW - also John T Essberger is mentioned - if you look at one it is the same information given for them both. Also even earlier they seem to be connected as in Auke Vissers under tanker Winnetou of 1938 it says (Atlantic Rhederie F&W Joch managers). So this is why I believed my info to be correct. More recently Essbergers are linked to Broere. As Essberger was the originator of the Atlantic Tank Rhederie I assumed the info was correct. I am sure that they did trade independently as many other did in the past.

Hawkey01


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## Thamesphil (Jul 22, 2005)

Hawkey,

That's really curious. Essberger is part of the Rantzau group and in the history of that company (http://www.rantzau.de/english/company/index.php) there is no mention of Atlantic-Rhederei.

I do know that from a chartering persepective, Atlantic Rhederi ships traded during the 70s and 80 in competition to the Essberger ships and both companies had different funnel colours and houseflags.

The key could relate to a period prior to 1960 when Essberger traded a subsidiary called Atlantic Tank Rhederei GmbH. Reading between the lines, it appears that Essberger divested it's interests in that company - which was renamed Atlantic Rhederei F & W Joch K.G. Tug company Petersen & Alpers became a main shareholder in the new company and therefore, Essberger and Atlantic-Rhederei became competitors and were run as separate entities. Atlantic eventually ceased trading in 2001.

Phil


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## willincity (Jul 11, 2007)

Thamesphil said:


> Hawkey,
> Atlantic Rhederi eventually went out of business in the 1990s, *though some of their ships are still trading for other owners.*
> Phil


Phil, 
Any idea of the names of these owners or the ships name today?

The one I refered to was bulit in 1980 Paul Lindenau GmbH & Co. KG Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik in Kiel as the RICHARD then the following changes of owner and name:
NAVAJO (1988) Atlantic Rhederi
STELLAMAN (1994) P&O Tankships (Rowbothams)
HELLAS (2003) and is still sailing under the Marshall Islands administration.

This ship had three or four sister ships sailing under Atlantic-Rhederei in the early 90's


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## Thamesphil (Jul 22, 2005)

Willincity,

In addition to the HELLAS, the follwg sisterships are in service:

COMANCHE (ex SARIBAY, COMANCHE) - Turkish flag

RISTNA (ex APACHE) - Estonia flag

BRITISH SHIELD (ex SENECA) - Venezuelan flag (converted to pollution control vessel in 1997).

ARIES (ex AZTEK) - Russian flag.

Also the KORTSOPON which was never an Atlantic Rhederei ship, but operated as ROBERT for DS Tankschiffahrt and Rickmers.

I've also seen a couple of the 60s and 70s built ships in service transporting fresh water to the Greek islands.

Phil


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## willincity (Jul 11, 2007)

Phil,
Thanks for the info on these ship, just shows for them to be still working 28 years on that they were well built vessels, as indeed were many hi spec chemical tanks from that era although I doubt they will be running chemicals today.
It is amazing how many charterers tend to consider a 12 y-o ship to be too old for consideration irrespective of the owner/manager and tend to opt for "younger tonnage" and yet we are all aware that some five y-o old vessels can be atrocious under poor management.


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## Tony Crompton (Jul 26, 2005)

willincity said:


> Phil,
> Any idea of the names of these owners or the ships name today?
> 
> The one I refered to was bulit in 1980 Paul Lindenau GmbH & Co. KG Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik in Kiel as the RICHARD .
> ...


Were the sisterships, "Eric" "Oliver" "Robert" and "Ludwig", possibly one named "Jan" also.

Regular visitors to the Tees.Difficult ships to handle when light in any wind as
they hardly had any ballast and were just like the proverbial "Balloon on the water" with the propellor half of the water.

Very smart ships however, Grey hull with yellow funnel. Posibly one was renamed "Borkum Lady" (Memory???)

----------------------------------
Regards, Tony Crompton


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