Pacific Far East Line also called PFEL was a passenger and cargo ship line founded in 1943, by Thomas E. Cuffe, in San Francisco, California. At the started by chartering foreign ships to run the lines in tramp trade. Later scheduled cargo services was added to the line. During World War II the South Atlantic steamship line was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. After World War II Pacific Far East Line purchased some of the low-cost surplus ships. All purchased ships had names ending with the word "Bear". Pacific Far East Line flag was blue with a golden bear and below the letters PFEL. During wartime, the South Atlantic steamship line operated Victory ships and Liberty shipss. Thomas E. Cuffe died in 1959. Pacific Far East Line operated some Lighter aboard ship. Pacific Far East Line adds called PFEL routes: "Routes of the Bear". Pacific Far East Line failed to upgrade to all the ships to container ships and modernize as other shipping lines did in the 1970s. With the Vietnam War over Pacific Far East Line went bankrupt and closed in 1978, all ships being sold or scrapped due to age.
Barber Steamship Lines was founded in 1902 as Barber & Company Inc. and also operated the New York & Oriental Steamship Company. In 1928 Barber Steamship Lines operated the American West African Line. In 1945 Barber Steamship Lines was renamed the Wilhelmsen Lines, as it was acquired by Wilh. Wilhelmsen, a Norwegian company, later was renamed again to Barber International. American West African Line was closed in 1946, now part of Barber Steamship Lines. Barber Steamship Lines operated in the Far East and then around the World with Wilh. Wilhelmsen ships. Barber Steamship Lines also operated ships of British James Chambers & Company, Norwegian Fearnley & Eger Company and A. F. Klaveness & Co.
General Steamship Company was founded in 1920 in Houston, Texas, as a Private Company, and now goes by Gensteam since 1996. General Steamship Company has a fleet of cargo ships that operate worldwide. Gensteam has a Gensteam Operations Desk website that tracks all shipping logistics. Gensteam headquarters is now in San Francisco, California. General Steamship Company was part owner of American Pacific Steamship Company in New York state and Los Angeles during and post World War II. American Pacific Steamship Company was founded in 1942 in New York City, and was previously called Los Angeles Tanker Operators Inc. which operated T2 tanker ships. During World War II the General Steamship Company and American Pacific Steamship Company were active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration.
Agwilines Inc was a passenger and cargo shipping company of New York City. Agwilines is short for Atlantic, Gulf & West Indies Steamship Inc. AGWI Lines group operated four main lines in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s:
Black Diamond Steamship Company (BDSC) was a passengers and cargo Liners of New York City. The Black Diamond Steamship Corporation was founded by J.E. Dockendorff in 1919. Frist called the American Diamond Line which cargo routes were between New York to Rotterdam and Antwerp by the United States Shipping Board. The company was profitable in the 1920s and early 1930s. Before the United States entered World War II, the US's neutrality, ended much of the lines trade. Dockendorff stepped down as a principal executive in 1934. In 1934 he sold the only ship he had the SS New Britain which he had purchased in 1918, the other 20 ships were government owned. During World War II the company sold most of its American Diamond Line ships and moved to charter shipping. During World War II Black Diamond Steamship Company was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. During wartime, the Black Diamond Steamship Company operated Victory ships and Liberty ships. The ship was run by its crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio. The most common armament mounted on these merchant ships were the MK II 20mm Oerlikon autocannon and the 3"/50, 4"/50, and 5"/38 deck guns. After the war there were many surplus ships and much competitions. Black Diamond Steamship Company continued to operated after the war, but closed in the 1955.
Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company was a was a and cargo Liner company founded in Tacoma, Washington. Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company was founded by Weyerhaeuser Company in 1933. Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest lumber and paper companies in the United States. First called the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company which started with ships for towing logs in the Northwestern United States. Weyerhaeuser started Weyerhaeuser Timber Company with a ship he acquired in 1892. The log towing ship was a 140-foot sternwheeler built for the partnership, Weyerhaeuser and Denkman Company. In 1923 Weyerhaeuser added to ocean lumber cargo ship the SS Pomona and the SS Hanley. The two ships took lumber to the East Coast. In 1933 F. Weyerhaeuser starts the Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company and moves the headquarters to Newark, New Jersey. At the outbreak of World War II the US government orders the four Weyerhaeuser to take supplies to the British army in Egypt. The next year the other four company's ships are requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration. During World War II the Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company was active in charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. During wartime, the Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company operated Victory ships and Liberty shipss. The ship was run by its crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio. The most common armament mounted on these merchant ships were the MK II 20mm Oerlikon autocannon and the 3"/50, 4"/50, and 5"/38 deck guns. In 1942 the SS Potlatch and the SS Heffron were sunk by German U-boats torpedoes. After the war, Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company purchased four Liberty ships for intercoastal shipping service. In 1950 Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company purchases the Pacific Coast Direct Line and moves its headquarter from Newark to San Francisco. In 1962 the Weyerhaeuser Line is started and Weyerhaeuser Steamship becomes a division of Weyerhaeuser Company.
Calmar Steamship Company was a proprietary subsidiary of the Bethlehem Steel founded in New York City in 1927. Bethlehem Steel Company founded Calmar Steamship Company and other steamship companies after finding general shipping companies could not meet the company's needs in a timely manner. At the time Bethlehem Steel Company was the second-largest steelmaker in the United States and the world, only behind U.S. Steel. Calmar Steamship Company shipped Bethlehem Steel Company products from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast. On the return trip, Calmar Steamship Company would bring lumber products from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast. Calmar Steamship Company closed in 1976, as United States steel manufacture declined in the 1960s.
A. H. Bull Steamship Company was a shipping company and passenger liner service founded in New York City in 1902 by Archibald H. Bull (1848-1920). Service started with shipping between New York and Florida. His fleet of ships then added service to other Eastcoast ports. The company is also often called the Bull Lines and the Bull Steamship Line or A. H. Bull & Company. While founded in New York, Bull soon move its headquarter to Peir 5 in Baltimore, Maryland. Bull Lines main Eastcoast ports were: Baltimore, Charleston, Philadelphia, Tampa and Norfolk, Virginia. Oversea ports: Porto Rico, Antwerp, Bordeaux, Hamburg, Bremen, Copenhagen, and West Africa. Bull Steamship Line supported the US war effort for both World War I and World War II, including the loss of ships.
States Steamship Company, also called States Line and SSS, was started in 1928 by Charles Dant, in Portland, Oregon and later moved to the headquarters to San Francisco. Dant started the States Steamship Company to take his lumber product to market. He had a fleet of lumber schooners. Dant started by leasing ships from the United States Shipping Board - Emergency Fleet Corporation and founded the Columbia Pacific Steamship Company in 1919, Columbia Pacific Steamship Company routes were between Portland, Far East and Europe. In 1928 Dant merged the Columbia Pacific Steamship Company into the States Steamship Company. The Europe route ended in 1932 and the ship moved to a Philippines route. With the shift to container shipping in the 1960s and Dant's fleet of ships becoming older and obsolete, the company into bankruptcy in 1979. States Line operated four subsidies: Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Company, California Eastern Line founded in 1937 for lumber shipping, Oregon Oriental Line and the Quaker Line.
International Freighting Corporation of New York City, New York was an American shipping company. International Freighting Corporation's main operations was chartered shipping from United States ports to South America. International Freighting Corporation owned and operated a passenger liner service called American Republics Line, with service from New York to South America. In 1920 Scovil Company took over the International Freighting Corporation. Scovil Company was founded in 1802 in Waterbury, Connecticut, operating a large brass plant. By 1956 Du Pont and General Motors Corporation were the two stock owners of International Freighting Corporation and Du Pont purchased General Motors shared. In 1957 International Charter Services, was founded and took over the accounts and contracts of the troubled International Freighting Corporation.
Blidberg Rothchild Company was a shipping company founded by Allan Blidberg and Sylvester Rothschild in New York City, United States. The shipping company has is start with a previous company Blidberg and Sagen Company founded by Tryggve Sagen and Allan Blidberg. Tryggve Sagen owned a ship in Oslo, Norway before coming to the United States in 1919. Sylvester Rothschild was born in 1896 in Sweden, he was a finance officer in Gothenburg. Rothschild came to America in 1919 and started the shipping company with Sagen. Blidberg and Sagen Company had shipping routes from New York to Scandinavian and Baltic ports. Sagen was president, Blidberg vice president and Sylvester Rothschild was the Secretary for the shipping company. Sylvester Rothschild was from Gothenburg Sweden, were he was the Vice-consul. In the 1930s Tryggve Sagen departed the company and the firm was renamed Blidberg Rothchild Company. The company had offices in Gothenburg and Norway. Blidberg Rothchild Company worked with an affiliated company Eastport Steamship Co of New York. Blidberg Rothchild Company also worked with an affiliated company Bridgeport Steamship Line of New York, a New Haven Railroad company.
North Atlantic & Gulf Steamship Company was founded in New York City on February 13, 1932, by George V. Reilly, William M. Stevens, and David H. Jackman. The president of North Atlantic & Gulf Steamship Company in 1932 was Charles Walter Ulsh., North Atlantic & Gulf Steamship Company's treasurer and vice president as Clifton Waller Barrett. Charles Walter Ulsh and Clifton Waller Barrett founded the ship broker firm Ulsh & Barrett. Charles Walter Ulsh invited and patented a skid platform pallet for shipping. His United States patent #US1934389A is used for a stackable and nested skid platform.
Charles R. McCormick Lumber Company was founded in 1908 by Charles R. McCormick in San Francisco, California. McCormick purchased a mill site in St. Helens, and formed the Helens Mill Company. To feed the mill McCormick's St. Helens Timber Company also purchased 4,000 acres of timber. In 1912 McCormick formed the St. Helens Lumber Company as parent company over Helens Mill Company and the St. Helens Timber Company. In 1912 McCormick expanded the company with a second sawmill, a creosoting plant and shipyard, the St. Helens shipyard. McCormick also expanded into San Diego, California with a railroad ties factory, to supply Santa Fe Railway and the mines of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. At the San Diego site, he built a dock to unload his timbers. With the Great Depression slow down, McCormick closed dock at San Diego in April 1931. In 1925 McCormick expanded again, buying the Puget Mill Company from Pope & Talbot, Inc.. He also built new sawmills, in 1926 one at Port Gamble, Washington and one at Port Ludlow. Over expanded and hit by the Depression, McCormick had to give the Puget Mill Company mill back, also his other companies, and properties to Pope & Talbot.
Simpson Spence & Young, (SSY), Simpson Spence Young, Simpson, Spence & Young Ltd. was founded in 1880 by Ernest Simpson, Lewis Spence and Captain William Young in New York City. Ernest Louis Simpson started as a shipbroker from England. Simpson joined with shipbroker Lewis H. Spence and started Simpson & Spence in 1880. In 1882 Captain William Young joined the company and the name was changed to Simpson Spence & Young. Simpson Spence & Young opened a second office in Newcastle upon Tyne in England. Simpson son Ernest Aldrich Simpson (1897-1958) joined the company. The Simpson Spence & Young became very successful and becoming a worldwide shipping firm, with headquarters in London, one of the largest ship shipbrokers. Simpson Spence Young has 19 offices worldwide with over 400 people employees. Simpson Spence Young operates dry bulk, tanker ships, tugboats and has other services.
Smith-Johnson Steamship Corporation, Smith & Johnson was founded by Howell B. Smith (1898-1979) and Algot W. Johnson (1900-1987) in 1921 in New York City. Howell B. Smith and Algot W. Johnson worked as ship brokers for the Munson Steamship Line before starting their own firm in 1921. Smith-Johnson Steamship Corporation's main work was as a shipbroker for Norwegian ships. During World War II Smith & Johnson operated ships to support the war effort, they also opened an office in New Orleans. Unlike other firms, they did not purchase any of the many surplus ships after the war. Smith and Johnson sold the firm in 1955, it continued to operate under other names till about 1982.
Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc. was founded by Spencer Kellogg in 1912 in Buffalo, New York. Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc. operated a linseed oil mill, oil was extracted from flax seeds. Later castor oil and other oils were added to the product line. Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc. became the largest manufacturer of Soybean oil, castor oil, linseed oil and other oils. Spencer Kellogg & Sons had coconut oil plant in Manila and a tung oil plant in Hankow, China. The products were shipped by truck and rail. As they grew, products were shipped by steamships. They founded a subsidiary, Kellogg Steamship Corporation, which purchased their first ship in 1934 the, SS Elizabeth Kellogg 5,189-ton tanker ship. Spencer Kellogg learned the linseed oil trade from his grandfather, Supplina Kellogg, who started his trade in 1824 the Mohawk Valley, in Amsterdam, New York. Spencer Kellogg sons work at Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc.: Howard Kellogg, Morris Kellogg, and Donald Kellogg. Spencer Kellog and his wife, Jane Morris, also had four daughters, Elizabeth, Gertrude, Ruth, and Doris. Howard Kellogg became president of Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc. in 1922. Spencer Kellogg & Sons Buffalo Terminal Buffalo was located south of the Prenatt Street rail tracks. The Terminal had bulk storage of linseed oil in large tanks. Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc had an oilseed processing plant, pier & transit warehouse in Edgewater, New Jersey. Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc. were active in supporting the World War II effort. In 1961 the company was sold to Textron.
United States Navigation Company was founded by Edward Carl Wilhelm Oelsner (1888-1973) in New York City in 1917. Oelsner was a Russian-born German, who came to America in 1908. In 1915 became a manager of the Hamburg America Line's New York office. In 1917 he became a steamship broker, he then founded his own steamship brokerage firm, United States Navigation Company. United States Navigation Company's first clients were the Hamburg-American Line and North German Lloyd Line. Next Oelsner entered into a joint venture with Biehl & Company chartering ships that serviced the Gulf of Mexico ports. United States Navigation Company when went from just a shipbroker to a ship owner, with the purchase of 1885 SS City of Salisbury, a 397-ton cargo ship. On March 7, 1973, Oelsner died, he and his wife, Eva, were on vacation in Torremolinos, Spain. United States Navigation Company continued doing business. In 1979 the United States Navigation Company was sold and in 1981 closed. The United States Navigation Company supported the World War II effort with its ship and as an operator of United States owned ships.
Olympic Steamship Company was founded in Seattle, Washington on August 22, 1925 by John Ambler, Charles A. Wallace and William W. Shorthill. Olympic Steamship Company had routes that served the Pacific Northwest. Olympic Steamship Company had a fleet of about 4 ships. Olympic Steamship Company was named after Olympic Mountains in the state of Washington. John Ambler was an attorney, and Charles A. Wallace previously worked at Fisher Flouring Mills Company. William W. Shorthill was a clerk at Pacific Steamship Company. After the start of the company Joseph L. Carman, Jr., became the vice president. Carman previously was president of Alaska Washington Airways. Olympic Steamship Company's first ship was an acquired 5,335-ton tanker, named the SS Dayton. Olympic Steamship Company renamed the Dayton, the SS Olympic. SS Olympic was built in 1907 as the Harport in South Shields, England. In 1936 Olympic Steamship Company went into a joint venture with James Griffiths & Sons, Inc., as the Consolidated Olympic Company. Consolidated Olympic Company offered a Long Beach, California, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington route on the Consolidated Olympic Line. The Consolidated Olympic Line was later renamed the Olympic-Griffiths Line. The Olympic-Griffiths Line acquired the 7,216-ton cargo ship SS Olympic Pioneer, which was used on Pacific Northwest lumber and newsprint routes. SS Olympic Pioneer also did two long voyages on world wide trade route. The SS Olympic Pioneer then moved to a routed from Puget Sound to Japan moving US Army supplies. Olympic-Griffiths Line chartered ships for the other routes on the line. Ernest Clayton became president of the firm in 1940. Ernest Clayton previously worked for the Mccormick Steamship Company. Olympic Steamship Company was active in supporting the World War II effort.
American Foreign Steamship Corporation was founded in Brooklyn, New York City in 1932 by Ira L. Rosenson, Sophia Pruss and Elias Katz. Ira L. Rosenson was an attorney and the major shareholder in the firm. American Foreign Steamship Corporation purchased a 5,570-ton cargo ship SS Eastern Glen from the American South African Line in 1933. American Foreign Steamship Corporation named the ship the SS American Oriole. The ship was built by Kabushiki Kaisha Uchida Zosengo company of Yokohama, Japan in 1920. The ship was an United States Shipping Board ship. The next two ships purchased was the SS Liberty Glo and SS Wildwood, these were Hog Islanders type ships. The two ships were purchased from the South Atlantic Steamship Company. In 1938 another Hog Islanders ship was purchased the, SS Magmeric, renamed the SS American Robin. The American Oriole was sold to England in 1940 to help with the World War II efforts. She was renamed the SS Barberrys, but on November 26, 1942, she was sunk by a torpedoed from German submarine U-663 off of St. John's, Newfoundland.
Wilmore Steamship Company was a steamship shipping company that was founded in New York City in 1930. The Wilmore Steamship Company mainly operated coal ships, called Collier ship. The coal ships main routes were loading coal at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and delivering the coal to New England ports. The first two ships on the on the route were the SS Berwindglen and SS Berwindvale. Both ships were built by Bethlehem Steel's Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation at Quincy, Massachusetts, at the Fore River Shipyard. SS Berwindglen and SS Berwindvale were new 4,411-ton colliers ships, that had first United States engines that used pulverized coal-fired boilers. The steamship SS Mercer, a 9,500 ton merchant ship was the test ship of pulverized coal, modified to evaluated pulverized coal in 1929. The test were good and the SS Berwindglen and SS Berwindvale were built for this new fuel. Wilmore Steamship Company was named after Wilmore Heights, Pennsylvania. Wilmore Steamship Company was active in supporting the World War II effort.
