House Flags of German Shipping Companies (o)

Last modified: 2011-08-20 by german editorial team
Keywords: oldenburgische schiffergesellschaft | oldendorf | orion bulkers |
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• Ocean Chartering und Transport
• Oceanic Fruits
• Odin Reederei
• Ölhandel- und Transport GmbH
• Oetling Gebrüder
• Emil Offen
• Klaus Peter Offen
• Offshore Supply Association
• Bernhard Ohl
• Egon Oldendorf
• Olea Tankschiffahrt
• D. Oltmann & Co.
• Gerhard Oltmann
• Opielok Reederei
• Orion Bulkers
• Heinrich Ossenbrüggen
• Ostsee-Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft
• William O'Swald and Co
• Ewald Ottens

• Oeltrans AG
• Rudolf August Oetker KG
• Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Rhederei
• Oldenburgische Schiffergesellschaft

• House Flags of German Shipping Companies
• House Flags of Shipping Companies
• Germany

Ocean Chartering und Transport

O C T- Ocean Chartering und Transport; Mühle & Sachs GmbH & Co - OCT is a ship broker company which is located at Johannisbollwerk 19 in Hamburg. Its flag is plain white with dark blue, almost black, serifed capitals “OCT”.
Source: I spotted this flag on 13 March 2007 at the company’s headquarter.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 Sep 2008

Oceanic Fruits

Oceanic Fruits Shipping and Trading GmbH was established by Hani Nasri, a Syrian, in 1976 in Swasiland, probably named Oceanic Africa Fruit Co. Ltd.. The company had local branches in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. The purpose was support of fruit farmers by know-how, technical support and worldwide marketing of citrus fruits. There also existed a partnership with a Hamburgian shipping company (probably H.Schuldt). So in 1982 a new HQ in Hamburg was opened together with a shipping line from South Africa to the Middle East.
During the last years another business was established, transport of bananas from Ecuador and Mexico to the Middle East all year long.The company today has branches in Cape Town, Paris, Jebel Ali (UAE), Guayaquil and Villahermosa.
Source: company's webpage
Description of flag:
It is a green over white over black horizontal tricolour. In the middle of the white stripe are red capitals "HN"(=Hani Nasri), having one vertical line in common. The flag seems to be inspired by a former Syrian flag, showing the panarabic colours.
Source: I identified this flag on 24 September 2009 in front of the HQ at Osakaallee 11 in Hamburg.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 Oct 2009

Odin Reederei

Odin Reederei ges.mbH
The company was located in Lübeck-Schlutup. It is a yellow over red over yellow horizontal triband with a diamond of total flag in its centre having the colours darkblue-white-red.
Source: „Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT“; Hamburg 1957; p.F20
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Apr 2009

Ölhandel- und Transport GmbH

The company started in 1938 as Bremen branch of Ölfabrik Groß-Gerau, bought an own vessel GERMANIA, technical ship management and operative consulting were maintained by "UNITAS" Deutsche Walfangges. mbH, located in Hamburg and used also the funnel of that company. The vessel had been bought in order to ship whale oil, was however used for mineral oil and petrol transports. The company was dissolved in 1949 and incorporated into Ölhandel- und Transport GmbH, located in Bremen. This company had connections to Unilever group very early.
In 1953 two vessels, the tanker TEMA PALM and the freighter SAPELE PALM were built, using the flags and funnels of Palm Line. Due to subsidiaries of German Government the company was run under German colours. In 1960 the company was completely incorporated into Palm Line.
Source: information given by Klaus-Peter Bühne

Flag#1:
It is a green flag divided by a white saltire. In its centre is a white disc containing a green palm tree. It is the same flag like that one of /Palm Line/.
Source: photo of a table flag, shot by , Klaus-Peter Bühne

Flag#2:
It is a green flag divided by a white saltire. In its centre is a white disc containing an inscription in green unserifed capitals "ÖTG", the "T" having at least double height.
Source: "Deutsche Reedereien und ihre Erkennungszeichen"; 2nd ed.; Hamburg; 1956; p.30,
Please note, that source is showing this flag together with an ordinary Palm Line funnel. Klaus-Peter Bühne claims, that this flag never was used at sea.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010

Oetling Gebrüder

Oetling Gebrüder - The company used a white flag with black serifed capital letters "OG".
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; cover inside.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

Emil Offen

On the German vexlist Jörg Karaschewski asked whether someone knew a flag offered for sale at the German Ebay - which according to the vendor is a flag probably used between the end of the Reichswehr and the beginning of the Wehrmacht; because the flag has no forbidden emblems on it it is safe to buy it from 200 Euro on. Within an hour Mr. Karaschewski corrected himself: it was just the houseflag of Hanseatischen Reederei  Emil Offen & Co. Hamburg. <Nun habe ich mich doch von diesem blödsinnigen Wehrmachtsgesabbel in die Irre führen lassen. - fooled again by 'em idiots talking 'bout Wehrmacht, &c>.
Jarig Bakker, 11 Sep 2004

It may be added that the vendor of the flag alludes to some sort of a Wehrmacht marking which can be discerned slightly on the photo. Jörg Karaschewski supposes that it was added to increase the price, "a finger exercise of a vexillologist" he writes. A hint to be generally suspicious about imprints on historical flags until their
authenticity is clarified. Although the colloquial term "Gesabbel" is used exclusively in Germany, I suppose it refers here more to the imprint on the flag (scribbling, scrawniness) than to the vendor's descriptions?
Martin Karner, 12 Sep 2004

Klaus Peter Offen

Klaus Peter Offen K.G. Reederei, Hamburg - 5 horizontal stripes of blue and white, proportioned c. 2:1:6:1:2 - in center a widened cross formy.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 27 Sep 2005

Offshore Supply Association

Offshore Supply Association, Bremen - white flag, blue circle, black "osa" over blue wavy stripe.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 22 Feb 2006

Bernhard Ohl

Bernhard Ohl
The company was located in Ulsnis/Schlei (near Schleswig). It is a blue over white over red horizontal tricolour, the colours of Schleswig-Holstein, they are superimposed by a white lozenge, fimbriated black and containing black capitals “BO”. The lozenge is touching the edges of the flag.
Source: „Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT“; Hamburg 1957; p.F20.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Apr 2009

Egon Oldendorf

Blue flag with large white letters 'EO' in a sans-serif font.
Santiago Dotor, 10 May 2005

Olea Tankschiffahrt

Olea Tankschiffahrtsges. mbH
The company was located in Hamburg. It is a blue flag divided by a black centred cross fimbriated white. In the centre of fimbriation are thin black lines. In the centre of the flag is a white disc, fimbriated black and containing a black capital “O”.
Source: „Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT“; Hamburg 1957; p.F20.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Apr 2009

D. Oltmann & Co.

D. Oltmann & Co., K.G., Bremen - blue flag, white diamond, red "O".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 27 Nov 2005

Gerhard Oltmann

Reederei Ges(chwister?) Gerhard Oltmann K.G., Drochtersen - yellow over white with several concentric diamonds, blue "O".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95] [incorrect image replaced by version sent by Neale Rosanoski, ed.]
Jarig Bakker, 9 Nov 2005

Gerhard Oltmann. Origins go back to 1.2.1862 when Jürgen Oltmann bought the sailing vessel "Aurora" with the family company currently run by the 5th generation. Originally based in Drochtersen they shifted in 1998 to Fredenbeck. The modern company began in 1962 as Reederei Gerhard Oltmann K.G. (Lloyds) or Reederei Gesellschaft Gerhard Oltmann K.G. (Brown 1995) changing in 1989 to the present day name of Schiffahrtsgesellschaft Oltmann Verwaltung mbH. The flag version shown by Brown is either incorrect or there has been a change, but the modern version which is proudly [and one wishes that other companies were so inclined] detailed on their website, showing the diamond is within the field, with the following description:

"The company flag is a symbol for the relation of the family with the home-country and north-german tradition.
The colours yellow / white represent the local department of Hannover.
These are the colours of the "Welfen" the kings of Hannover.
The colour black / white / red represent the national colours.
These date back to 1867 as colours of the "North German Alliance" and the first flag of the merchant navy.
The colour blue together with the colour white represents the city of Stad".
Neale Rosanoski, 14 May 2009

Opielok Reederei

"Opielok Reederei GmbH", based at Hamburg, was founded in 1998 by  Christopher E. O. Opielok, operating the container ship MV "Christine O". The company currently two multi-purpose ships and two bulk carriers. Most ships are named after members of the Opielok family ("xx O").

The flag of "Opielok Reederei", as shown as a graphic on the company website, is vertically divided red blue with a yellow emblem in the middle, made of a C inscribed in a O, undoubtedly the initials of the company's founder and manager.
In September 2007, the company founded the fully-owned subsidiary "Opielok Offshore Carriers GmbH" (OOC) for the operation of offshore vessels and platform supply vessels. Their seven ships are named after animals, "OOC xx", for instance "OOC Tiger". According to the press release by the mother company, the ships have a "dark blue livery emblazoned with a tiger', myabe also used on a house flag yet to be reported.
Source: OOC press release, April 2008.
Ivan Sache, 7 Sep 2008

Orion Bulkers

Orion Bulkers GmbH & Co. KG (Shipping Company, Germany), formerly Orion Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft Reith & Co. GmbH - White saltire on dark red a white vertical oval centered, charged with a black 'O'.
Jorge Candeias, 21 Mar 1999

"Orion" Schifffahrts-Gesellschaft - The flag is nearly the same as that one already depicted but the background is simply red.
Source: Announcement of sponsoring on a museum-ticket.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 May 2007

Heinrich Ossenbrüggen

Heinrich Ossenbrüggen
The company was located in Altendeich/Haseldorf. It is a white flag with a red-white-black bordure of ratio approx 2:1:1. In the centre is a black capital “O” of double width, superimposed by a black, serifed capital “H”.
Source: „Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT“; Hamburg 1957; p.F20.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Apr 2009

Ostsee-Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft

Ostsee-Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft, located in Stettin.
It is a 11-stripes flag with alternating horizontal white and red stripes starting with a white one. In the centre is a white rectangle with black dotted capitals: “O.D.G.”
Source: [llo12] p.108, image no.1500.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 September 2008

William O'Swald and Co

William O'Swald and Co. - The company was established in 1824 bei William O'Swald. His son William Henry O'Swald was born on 24 April 1832 in Hamburg. He became member of the board of the company, which was specialized in trade with Eastern Africa, in 1859. Earlier before he led the branches of his fathers company in Zanzibar, Lagos and Palma. In 1859 he signed a treaty between the cities of Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen and the Sultan of Zanzibar, which had great influence in interior eastern Africa then.
O'Swald was for a certain time also honorary consul in Zanzibar. In this position he established new branches of the company in Madagascar, the Somali Coast and the German protectorate in East Africa, (later Tanganyika). O'Swald was also "Präses" (some kind of minister) of the trade and shipping department of the city of Hamburg. He promoted Hamburgs colonial trade and established in 1886 the Hamburg section of the  "Deutsche Kolonial-Gesellschaft" (=German Colonial Society) and was elected as a member of the board of that company in Berlin. He had however no enthusiasm in colonial political affairs and often critized the politics of the half-official "Deutsch Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft" (= German East Africa Company) of C. Peters. O'Swald died on 7 May 1923 in Blankenese, today a part of Hamburg.
Source: Franklin Kopitsch; David Tilgner (ed.): Hamburg Lexikon, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-9805687-9-2; p.363.

The company used a blue flag with a coat of arms in its centre. The coat of arms was topped by a golden coronet. At flags bottom was an orange inscription "WOS & Co.". The shield was divided per fess. The base showed on a golden (=yellow) field a red oval with small black wings. The chief was divided per pale. On the right side was a red squirrel in a golden (=yellow) field, facing the hoist. On the left side were three red roses in triangular formation in a silver (=white) field.
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; inside cover.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Apr 2007

Ewald Ottens

Ewald Ottens
The company was located in Cuxhaven. It is a white flag divided by a blue saltire with black capitals “E”(hoist), “O”(fly) and “C”(bottom). In the top quarter are hammer and mallet, the symbol of mining, in black.
Source:  “Deutsche Reedereien und ihre Erkennungszeichen”; 2nd ed.; Hamburg; 1956; p.31
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 Mar 2009