outremer_history

The company history of Captain Jörg Johannsen, written by the long-time captain and member of the management at Suisse-Outremer, with additions by H.P. Schwab from the Federal Archives in Bern. We would like to thank Captain Johannsen for his interesting contribution.

According to the commemorative publication ‘200 Years of Bank Pictet & Cie’, this bank was in a phase of expansion into other, non-banking activities during and after the Second World War. For example, the private bank Pictet & Cie, Geneva built a refinery in Antwerp and in 1949 founded Transports Maritimes Suisse-Outremer S.A. (TMSO) in Geneva, together with its partner bank Ferrier, Lullin & Cie, Geneva. The domicile was located at Rue Diday 6 in the quarter on the left bank of the Rhone.

The first ship taken over by the company was the ANUNCIADA on 13 April 1949. Without changing its name, the ship became the property of TMSO and was registered under the Swiss flag. The ship carried grain for the Federal Grain Administration until 1953. Two voyages to Port Churchill in Hudson Bay every summer (without radar!). In 1952, the ALLOBROGIA was built in Flensburg and put into service under the Swiss flag.

At that time, TMSO was purely a ship owning company and the two ships were managed by Alpina Transport & Affrêtements S.A. Antwerp, a subsidiary of Schweizerische Reederei AG (SRAG) in Basel.

On 01.01.1953, the company moved into new offices in a prime location at 13, Quai de l'lle on the large Rhone Island. Also in 1953, the operating company Suisse-Outremer S.A. de Gerance et Affretements Maritimes, Geneva, was founded for the purpose of operating the two ships under its own management. Jean Fornet (born 1922), a financier from the Pictet bank, became the director and Alfred Lüssi, who had been taken over from Alpina, became the technical director.

1954 Management of the FLORIDA, owned by Bogdan G. Pusich from Suhr, Canton Aargau. German crew.

Around 1959, the company moved into a new office at Avenue Krieg 7 in the Malagnou neighbourhood, where it remained until it moved to Zurich.

April 1957, Suisse-Outremer takes over the management of the NYON from Suisse-Atlantique. Unfortunately, the ship ran aground on 15.11.1958 on the east coast of Scotland near St. Abbs Head, thus ending the management by Suisse-Outremer.

In 1959, the ARIANA was built by Nordseewerke in Emden and put into service under the Swiss flag. It is a luxury-class cargo ship with space for 10 passengers. It was chartered to Deutsche Afrika Linien because its concept fitted in well with their line to South and East Africa.

Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza (born in Scheveningen, Netherlands on 03.04.1921, died on 27.04.2002 in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Spain and citizen of Lugano) had a second ‘weakness’ in addition to his art collection: shipping. Even before the Second World War, the Halcyon Line in Rotterdam belonged to the TB Group, which was only involved in the transport of ore and coal. As the Baron also had a 25% share in the Flensburg shipbuilding company, 6 ships were built there for the Halcyon Line, one of which, the later CASTAGNOLA, was designed as a general cargo ship, a tween deck was added and the cargo gear was extended and reinforced.

The CASTAGNOLA was put into service on 16.05.1961 as the Baron's first Swiss ship for his company St. Gotthard Schiffahrts AG, Chur. At the time, he lived in the villa ‘Favorita’ in Castagnola, near Lugano, which probably explains the ship's name.

1961 Acquisition of the two multi-purpose freighters RHIN and RHONE built in Gdansk. Both ships are owned by Socef in Zurich, a subsidiary of the Louis Dreyfus & Cie. shipping company in Paris. Baron holds a one-third stake in the ships. Both sail under the Swiss flag in the liner service of SEAS, an association of French shipping companies between South America East Coast and Hamburg.

1962 Construction and takeover of the first two reefer ships under the Swiss flag, CALANCA and CASTANEDA, for St. Gotthard Schiffahrts AG, Chur. Both ships operate in a pool with the shipping company Dammers & van der Heide, Rotterdam. The Gusto shipyard in Schiedam also belonged to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Group.

In 1963, Banque Pictet in Geneva withdrew from the shipping business and sold its three ships (the A-ships), together with the owner company TMSO, whose shares were taken over by Helica S.A., a subsidiary of Suisse-Atlantique S.A. in Lausanne. At that time, around ten people were employed in the office. The shipping company Suisse-Outremer S.A. de Gerance et Affretements Maritimes was taken over by Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza. At the same time, on 30.08.1963, the head office was relocated to Oerlikonerstrasse 88 in Zurich and Alfred Lüssi became the new director.

In 1966 the RHIN is sold to France and one year later the RHONE is also sold.

Also in 1966, the freighter CASSARATE is built and taken over by VEB Warnowwerft in Warnemünde (then still the GDR). The sister ship CARIBIA followed in 1967, both ships sailing under the Swiss flag. They are owned by the companies of Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza.

1969 Takeover of the fully automated reefer ship FAVORITA, built in Dunkirk. The ship is part of a series of 8 ships for various French shipping companies. It is the first ship under the Liberia flag of Suisse-Outremer AG. It is chartered for 10 years to the Cie. Generale Transatlantique in Paris.

1970 Takeover of the CAVALLINO, a refrigerated ship built in La Rochelle, also flying the Liberian flag. The ship sails in a pool with the shipping company Dammers & van der Heide, Rotterdam.

Already in 1974 the CAVALLINO was sold to Morocco and in 1975 the CASTAGNOLA went to a buyer in Peru.

In 1976 construction and takeover of the CERESIO, built in Niteroi near Rio de Janeiro and put into service under the Liberian flag. She was a general cargo ship of the type SD-14, from a series built by Hamburg-Süd in Brazil.

In February 1977, the two reefer vessels CALANCA and CASTANEDA were sold to US Greeks. The ALBAFRIGO, ex CALANCA, lay in the Bay of Panama from 14.03.1980 to 1985 with a broken crankshaft.

On 01.04.1978, Alfred Lüssi, Director for many years, retires. Deputy Director Peter Scherz also leaves the company with him. Mr Lüssi's successor is Rolf Greter. The vice-director was abolished, but three authorised signatories were appointed, Captain Jörg Johannsen as deputy to the director and responsible for operations, procurement and insurance. Heinz Schulze was responsible for technology and Gottlieb Streuli for accounting and finance. In addition, a Head of Seafarer Personnel was appointed. At the beginning of September 1978, the shipping company was renamed Suisse-Outremer Reederei AG and on 25.09.1978, the company moved into new, larger offices at Winterthurerstrasse 92 in Zurich. The company now employed around 15 people in its offices.

On 01.01.1979, the OBO fleet (Ore, Bulk, Oil) of the shipping company Johannes Fritzen & Son from Emden is taken over. The ships DORADO 42,979 DWT, BALBINA and MOZART, each 84,000 DWT, and RECIFE and YEMANJA, each 150,000 DWT, are taken over. After the early death of the family shipowner Klaus Fritzen, H. H. Thyssen-Bornemisza rescued this company by taking it over and merging it with the Halcyon Line. The latter's ships were soon liquidated. The name Fritzen-Halcyon Line and the liaison office in New York, which was headed by Mr Proeller, remained only for the shippers.

Sale of the DORADO to China on 10.07.1979.

In 1979 the construction supervision for the 312,000 tonne turbine tanker SETTEBELLO at Setenave in Portugal was taken over from Fritzen in Emden. Due to years of delays in construction, the contract with the shipyard was finally cancelled and the ship was not accepted. This story lasted until 1982. Originally, a sister ship was also planned.

In 1980, the CASSARATE and the CARIBIA were sold to Hong Kong.

From December 1980, the shipping company introduced video films that could be watched on the ships via the television. The films were regularly exchanged.

The yacht HANSE, which belonged to the Baron, was also taken over in 1980. This opened up a new line of business. Subsequently, several large yachts are operated, e.g. BLUE CLOUD III, BLUE SHADOW, MARIA ALEXANDRA, ANJA YLINA.

1980 to 1981 Construction and takeover of the three OBOs ALEXANDER, AUGUST THYSSEN and KASZONY built at Bremer Vulkan. The OBOs belong to the TB Group. All OBOs sail under the Liberia flag.

Also from 1980 to 1981, the two large refrigerated ships ALBULA and BERNINA are built and taken over by the Stocznia Gdanska shipyard in Gdansk, Poland. Both sail under the Swiss flag and are given a long-term time charter with a subsidiary of Noboa (banana plantations) in Ecuador.

In 1983, the following ships were sold abroad: BALBINA, MOZART, RECIFE, YEMANJA, CERESIO and FAVORITA.

From 1983 to 1984 management of two Italian reefer ships, PUNTA BIANCA and PUNTA VERDE. These belonged to the Roman subsidiary of Noboa in Ecuador. Unfortunately, they had to be laid up for a long time due to a dispute with the engine manufacturer FIAT over a guarantee.

1984 Takeover of the VLCC (Very large crude carrier) steam turbine tanker TIBURON off the Persian Gulf for German owners under the Liberian flag. The ship was hit by an Iraqi Exocet missile just 7 days later and was declared a total loss by the insurance company. Unfortunately, there were 8 fatalities among the crew, the German 2nd engineer and 7 Spaniards from the engine crew. The cargo of 250,000 tons of crude oil was salvaged undamaged.

From 1984 to 1985, for about 10 months, management the two Liberian tankers HASSAN B and BLUE OCEAN for a Geneva bank. The owners were no longer able to service their mortgage debts.

1984 Acquisition of the bulker FAVORITA (the third ship of this name) from the shipyard Astilleros de Bilbao, under the Liberian flag. The ship was sold again in 1985, after 10 months of service. The sister ship ordered was completed for another shipping company.

In 1985, the refrigerated tanker ORANGE BLOSSOM was taken over from the Trosvik shipyard in Norway and put into service under the Liberian flag. The owner was Atlanship in Lausanne, a subsidiary of the citrus group Cutrale from Brazil. From 1985 to 1986, the second refrigerated tanker ORANGE STAR was converted and commissioned by the Bremer Vulkan shipyard. Both ships were used to transport orange juice concentrate between Brazil and Europe. From 01.08.1987, both ships were taken over and operated by their owner company Atlanship.

1985 Sale of the yacht HANSE.

It may also be of interest that two Nigeria ships were operated between 1986 and 1988, the UDOFE II and the UDOFE IV / OKEBHO PALM. Also between 1989 and 1995 two coastal tankers named VICTORY and LIBERTY under the St. Vincent flag.

From 1987 to 1993, Suisse-Outremer also acted as Lloyd's broker for the conclusion of insurance policies for Switzerland. This task, which was not very profitable, was given up when J. Johannsen retired.

1987 Sale of the three OBOs ALEXANDER, AUGUST THYSSEN and KASZONY to Belgium. Due to the deteriorating market situation, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Group was no longer interested in OBO shipping.

The shipping company Suisse-Outremer AG, as well as the ships CASTAGNOLA, CALANCA, CASTANEDA, FAVORITA (the reefer ship), ALBULA and BERNINA were the private property of Baron H. H. Thyssen-Bornemisza, whereas the OBO fleet belonged entirely to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Group.

In 1988, after Baron Thyssen finally retired to private life, the two reefer ships ALBULA and BERNINA were sold to a Greek shipowner.

In 1989, following the Baron's retirement, the shares of Suisse-Outremer AG were sold to a new Swiss investor Captain Paul Preisig. The change of ownership took place on November 01.11.1989. The previous director Rolf Greter left the company and Paul Preisig became the new director. He brings with him a fleet of 3 Rhine sea-going vessels, SEA RHINE, SIX MADUN and LAI DA TOMA.

1990 Commissioning of the general cargo ship MARTIN P., which was used for tramp traffic under the Swiss flag.

The shipping company ceased operations at the end of April 1999. The remaining two ships SEA RHINE and MARTIN P. were handed over to the friendly shipping company ABC Maritime AG, Nyon. The whole environment for developing and conducting business was becoming increasingly difficult, and Captain Preisig had hardly taken any vacations in his professional life, so the decision to dissolve the company early was also easier. There was a plan for the remaining employees to make their departure easier.

The MARTIN P. was pushed aground in a hurricane in Istanbul in December 1999, whereupon she had to be declared a total loss. The SEA RHINE was sold to the Greeks in July 2002.

SwissShips, HPS, JJ, September 2024