Photoshooting on the „BEK“-Ships - RHL | Reederei Hamburger Lloyd

Happy Birthday RHL!
A chronicle of the last 5 years
In the spring of 2006, the people who are
RHL’s executive associates today got together
with a closely allied ship-owner.
The aim of this meeting was to found a
ship-broking company, which was to specialise
in the chartering, purchase and sale
of container vessels. At that time, the shipping
markets were flourishing, and spirits
were high, even downright euphoric.
On September 7 th 2006, the first office location
of BCH BEFRACHTuNGSCONTOR HAM-
BuRG was opened. Initially, it was in charge
of brokering the contracting of three 5,100
TEu container ships (today’s RHL F-Class)
for HHSI HANSA HAMBuRG SHIPPING IN-
TERNATIONAL, and for arranging Chartering
services for the 1,700 TEu A-Class
vessels. After a few months of very successful
business, it became apparent that, for
structural reasons, an own shipping company
needed to be established. This was the
founding hour of HAMBuRGER LLOYD, and
on june 11 th 2007,
the foundation
of RHL REEDE-
REI HAMBuRGER
LLOYD GmbH & CO
KG was recorded
in the Commercial
Register of the Free
and Hanseatic City
of Hamburg.
The young shipping company only had
three and a half months to prepare for taking
over its very first ship, M/V RHL AGI-
LITAS. What was then only a small team
successfully managed to make the business
operable during this time, so that the
vessel – which was still under construction
under the name M/V WILHELM BuSCH –
could be named M/V RHL AGILITAS by Mrs
Bettina Pane on September 21 st 2007, and
could start trading for Hapag-Llyod in their
Asia-Services immediately after delivery.
THE BRIDGE I No. 15
This was followed by the naming of M/V
RHL AQuA by Mrs Waltraut Wilks on December
3 rd 2007. Shortly after, the 1,700
TEu ship – which had been built under the
name of M/V THEODOR FONTANE – started
into its initial charter at HAPAG LLOYD and
traded in the Mexican West Coast/South
America service.
january 1 st 2008 saw the merger of
BEFRACHTuNGSCONTOR HAMBuRG and
HAMBuRGER LLOYD, and today’s circle of
associates have been the owners of the