No.14 | Nov 2011

ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
PHOTO CONTEST 2011
RIVER CRUISING
50 YEARS ASHORE
2nd Prize “Safety“
See page 3
enjoys increasing popularity
See page 4
Clear steering since!
See page 5
DIGITAL
FLEET
NEWS!
Electronic
version
available as
download at
www.laeisz.de
INFORMATION IS
THE BASIS FOR TRUST
A large German bank uses the slogan “Trust is the
beginning of everything” – there is a lot of truth in
that. And one fundamental pillar of trust is information. In many cases where people feel frustration, misinformation is the cause.
We all have to get used to faster changing markets,
volatility will continue to rise. Resulting uncertainty is not good, nervousness is spreading. Obviously
•
REAL TIME X-CHANGE RATES
•
CHARTER RATES
•
VESSEL VALUES
•
FFA’S
•
DAILY NEWS
this also applies to shipping markets and therefore we are happy that our chartering company has
jointly with ICAP developed an App that allows our
investors but also business friends, employees
and other interested parties to follow the container market constantly, which goes very much in
line with our open book policy. The device will be
available from Dec’11 and can be downloaded
from martini-chartering.com.
EDITORIAL
DEAR FRIENDS OF F. LAEISZ
Recently there have been speculations which shape the crisis would
have. V-Shape, U-Shape or W. As it
looks today, we are facing a pretty
sharp γ. But we should bear in
mind, that last Christmas nobody
foresaw the upturn in spring. As
history repeats itself, loadfactors
are satisfactory and rates can not
get much worse there is room for
hope that linercompanies come to
sences. Maybe in April 2012 we
will be positively surprised again.
We at Laeisz continue the same
path as always: prepare for the bad
and work for the better. One matter where we do not compromise is
quality in shipmanagement.
Yours truly,
N. H. Schües
MARTINI-CHARTERING.COM
BOOK REVIEWS
Published
by Oceanum
Verlag, 2011
Uwe Hansen
Dirk Poppinga
100 Jahre Viermastbark Passat:
Leben und Lernen an Bord
More book reviews on page 8
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 2
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
UN SECRETARY – GENERAL VISITED
MARINE TRAINING CENTRE IN KIRIBATI
Early September his Excellency Mr. Ban Kimoon, United Nations Secretary-General, paid a
visit to the Marine Training Centre in Kiribati. Laeisz recruits many of its’ ratings from that school,
which is run by a group of German shipowners.
Certainly the main purpose of the visit was to
address the impact of the climate change to
small Pacific Island Nations. But for the school
and all being present meeting Ban Ki-moon has
been a great honour and an unforgettable event.
H.E. Ban Ki-moon steering a ship home safely – on the simulator at least.
100 YEARS PASSAT
JUST A THOUGHT...
Our future seaman proudly showing
the flag of the United Nations.
POLARSTERN REACHED
THE NORTH POLE
All eyes on Greece it may be a good idea,
to look at ancient times, when democracy
was invented in Athens. In the high times
400 bc there was a word for those who
valued their individual interest more than
that of the démos (τοῦ δήμου, i.e. the
people). They called them Idiotis (I guess
no translation is needed for that one).
Any justified calls for consolidation in the
suffering German market should bear in
mind, that the maritime sector consists
of many employees. Keeping of those as
many as possible is the name of the game.
Tobias Grau, Grandson of the Passat’s
Godmother Gertrud Grau with the mayor
of Lübeck, Mr. Bernd Saxe, on Deck of
Passat 21st Sept 2011.
On September 21st 1911 Ms Gertrud
Grau christened the Blohm & Voss, Hamburg built Flying P-Liner “Passat”. Ms
Grau was greatgrandmother of Pia Grau,
daughter of Franziska Grau, née Schües
and shareholder in the Laeisz Group.
Small world! We celebrated that event on
“Passat” today lying in Lübeck.
Master Schwarze from ‘Polarstern’ wrote:
08/22/2011 08:09 AM GMT.
“Dear madams and sirs, dear colleagues,
At 09:42 hrs for the 3rd time in its history the ‘Polarstern’ arrived at the north
pole. A happening that takes place in the
head only, but the head is important. We
are pleased.”
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 3
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
PHOTO CONTEST 2011 – PEOPLE AT WORK
WE THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR‘S PHOTO CONTEST. ENTRIES SUBMITTED HAVE BEEN SELECTED ACCORDING THEIR
CREATIVITY AND ORIGINALITY, AS WELL AS THEIR GENERAL APPEARANCE. OUR JURY, THE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER MR. LUTZ HOFMANN DECIDED ON THE THREE BEST PHOTOS:
1ST PRIZE “PAPER JAM“
2ND PRIZE “SAFETY“
Mr. Burkhard Lutzke, Chief Engineer on board „MSC Tanzania“ was awarded with the 1st prize for his photograph entitled „paper jam“. The photo
is telling a clear cut story. It has all the right ingredients: work environment; showing measures which are work related, is not a shot with a big
smile into the camera. The jury thought that this was an original and creative photo. Mr. Lutzke was presented with a Pair of Binoculars „Steiner
Navigator 7 x 50“.
The second prize, a Montblanc Pen „Masterpiece Classic“, was awarded to
our 1st Officer Mr. Henrik Stolze for his photograph called „safety“. This
photo typified similar attributes as the shot of the winner and the jury (Mr.
Hofmann) took some time to decide. Perhaps the missing welding sparks
tipped the scale for the second best.
3RD PRIZE “DAILY OFFICE LIFE“
The third prize was handed over to Ms Denise Hoop. A second time winner
with a brilliant snap shot titled „daily office life“. Ms Hoop can enjoy the
coffee table book „Ships“ by Philip Plisson.
Once again a big thank you to all participants
and congratulations to the winners.
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 4
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
CRUISING DOWN THE RIVER
River Cruising enjoys increasing popularity!
Both, number of passengers and turnover,
increased by around 10 % in 2010 according
to numbers of the German travel association
(DRV). Our group company ‘Hamburgische
Seehandlung’ has just completed placements of its River cruise vessels no. 5 and 6.
We look forward to continue this series which
is facing such more promising fate than ocean freighters.
“COSTAL GROUP“ OF MP’S MET IN
MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN
The deputy chairman of the so called coastal
circle of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU),
Mr. Eckhardt Rehberg, MdB, visited Reederei
F. Laeisz in Rostock jointly with other members of Parliament. Mr. Rehberg assured all
present, - which included representatives of
other shipowners such as Scandlines, TT-Lines and Aida Cruises as well Ver.di – that the
federal government shall continue to ensure a
competitive legal framework for the maritime
cluster. Subjects discussed including subsidies, combating piracy and practicability of
environmental standards.
Ingbert Liebing, MdB, Nikolaus H. Schües
(Reederei Laeisz), Rüdiger Kruse, MdB,
Eckhardt Rehberg, MdB, Dr. Helmut Schmidt,
Vorsitzender des Ausschusses für Wirtschaft
und Tourismus–Bürgerschaft HRO, Gero
Storjohann, MdB; Lorenz Caffier, Innenminister
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 5
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
50 YEARS ASHORE
MORE THAN 40 YEARS F.L.
The one who‘s pictured,
who holds the record is Nik
Schües who joined the
company 01.04.1961.
Annemarie Bartsch (right) with S. Santo (left, Hamburg Süd Reise­
büro) und Katja Schröder (middle, Baltic Reisebüro) who will be
the person in charge for the ‘Freighter Cruises’ from now on, since
Ms Bartsch is on retirement. She was employee at F. Laeisz from
01.04.1969 until 30.09.2011.
Clear steering since!
ANNUAL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
On 20th of September our traditional meal at the Radisson Hotel in
Rostock for the tribute to the anniversaries this year and the dignified adoption of the employees into retirement took place.
Among others Capt. Klaus Rank and Capt. Dieter Walther and the
chief engineer Jörg Otte have been discharged into retirement after
more than 45 years. Hand painted Captain cups with their ships on
it were presented to them.
Ms Katharina Rathay had been discharged into retirement after exactly 40 years. 5 further employees had been honored for 45 years
staff membership at F. Laeisz, 7 employees for 40 years, 2 employees for 30 years and 3 for 25 years seniority. The honors were made
by Nikolaus H. Schües, Harald Schlotfeldt and Jürgen Fischer.
BABY FLS FRANCCESSCA LANCE SAMALA
We herewith congratulate
Cecile & Allan Samala, F.
Laeisz Philippines to the
childbirth of their daughter
FLS Franccessca Lance
Samala.
From left to right: Ms Mülleck and partner, C/E Otte, Mr. Hillmer, Ms Taube and partner, Mr. Schlotfeldt, Ms Foth and daughter,
Ms Rathay, Ms Schultz, Mr. Behnes and partner, C/E Woitschach and partner, Capt. Pahl and partner, C/E Neumann and partner,
Ms Halirsch and partner, Capt. Walther and partner, SM Köhler and partner, Mr. Schües, C/E Trembich and partner,
Mr. Ruppert and partner, Capt. Rank and partner, Capt. Billep and partner, Mr. Fischer.
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 6
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
VATTENFALL CYCLASSICS
BOWLING RESULTS 2011
WOMEN
MEN
WINNING TEAM
1. Ms Pothmann
1. Mr. Jaretzke
2. Ms Jansch
2. Mr. Hilmer
3. Ms Strahl
3. Mr. Thiede
Bahn 3 - Patagonia:
Mr. Redersborg
Ms Brumberg
Ms Leppin
Mr. Willms
Mr. Schuppenhauer
Mr. Thiede
29TH PETER GAST
SCHIFFAHRTSREGATTA
On August 15th, 2011, members and
guests of Martini Chartering participated
at Europe‘s biggest cycle race ‚The
Vattenfall Cyclassics‘. Amongst 22.000
athletes, Martini raced with an ‚A-Team‘
the distance of 57 km and ‚Team-B‘ taking the longer race course of 100 km. The
longer course led from the city center of
Hamburg over the famous ‚Köhlbrandbrücke‘ through the southern suburbs of
Hamburg and back again towards the city
center. With hot temperatures of about 30
degrees both teams finished the race
sucessfully with top average speeds of
mid/high thirties have been achieved. Due
to the postive feedback further plans are
already in the pipeline to start with an
even larger group for next year.
As usual, volunteers for next year‘s event
are welcome. Please contact Martini Chartering +49 40 36 808 441.
FROM BALTIC TRAVEL
AGENCY INTO THE WORLD
This year the Peter Gast Sailing Regatta was
held for the 29th time. Almost three decades
ago this Sailing Regatta took place for the first
time with only a few ships and some shipping
people; today more than 150 ships with about
1500 persons are taking part in the famous sailing regatta which leads from Maasholm to the
Danish isle Aerö.
Three colleagues of Martini Chartering – Cécile
Küppers, Thomas Kolb and Peter Eckhardt – participated on the SY “Veto”, a Dufour 44 which
has already shown last year to be a winner’s ship.
Peter Eckhardt sailed as skipper together with his
crew of customers and colleagues through challenging weather conditions and managed to arrive at Aeroskobing as “first ship home” in class
and second on corrected time. The successful
race was topped off by a huge party which was
sponsored by numerous shipping and service
companies out of the maritime industry.
THE FIRST TIME AN ALL-INCLUSIVEAIR-TRAVEL WITHIN GERMANY BY TUI
The Tourism Association of MecklenburgVorpommern and the major German travel
business, TUI AG gave a press conference
in the offices of the Baltic Travel Agency
on 24th of August 2011. In addition to
the president of parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Ms Silvia Bretschneider, Ms Kutz welcomed Mr. Andreas
Casdorff of TUI Germany.
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 7
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
COMPANY HISTORY
REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD HAMBURG CITIZEN - PART 4 - 1813
Continuing our last edition here are further passages from the memories of the
company founder Ferdinand Laeisz (18011887):
“Then the French started to shell the
town and quite a few exploded near our
house. Our housemaid was injured by a
shell splinter just as she was taking my
little sister into safety down into the cellar. I helped a neighbour, who served in the artillery, to repair the
trenches that had been destroyed by the impact of bullets. This was
a task eagerly performed by children, they were not aware of the
danger they got themselves in.
The times became wretched as the allies retreated and the French
marched into the town again, thirsting for revenge. My brother, who
was on guard on the Michaelis Tower, had not been relieved due to
the hasty retreat of the army. Luckily we managed to get hold of some
civilian clothes for him and two of his comrades, and they succeeded
in getting through the Bergedorf and joining up with their regiment.
My parents could not pay the contribution that had been levied on
them – it had been trebled as two of their sons were serving the army
– so they fled out of town, forsaking their house and a good part of
their belongings. The bare essentials ware loaded onto a barge
which was towed to Teufelsbrück where we lived until the war was
over. In December 1813, allied troops marched up to lay siege to
Hamburg and we began to hope once more.
However, the French held the town for a long time and it is a very sad
point in history how they ravaged everything and drove many thousands of helpless inhabitants (old people, women, children and the
sick) in deepest winter through the city gates where death and ruin
awaited them.
It appeared that especially those who had suffered most under enemy occupation stayed patriotic and kept faith in their German Fatherland, for farther out in the country, in Holstein, feelings were
divided; Danish and French sympathies were opposed to Prussian
and Hamburgian. When I eagerly spread the news in the inn at Flottbeck of the glorious victory at Leipzig, I was thrown out. I partook
in many incidents during the war. A yawl, laden with pepper, had
been captured by French soldiers outside the town and was to be
brought to Hamburg, but seamen threw the two Frenchmen overboard at Teufelsbrück , hid their freight in a wood, and celebrated
their triumph with a glass of punch. However, they had been seen
and a detachment of French soldiers prepared to take them prisoner.
I had noticed this, however, and hurried to warn the seamen. I led
them safety through Flottbeck Wood, using unknown paths and ignoring the enemy bullets that flew around us.
On the first day of January, 1814, we experienced the bombardment
of Glückstadt by the English and the Swedes and this led to the capitulation of the French occupying troops within a few days. The
Crown Prince of Sweden held a review of the army with it’s Prussian,
Swedish, Russian, English, and German soldiers. He led the mixed
crowd over the frozen river Elbe to France. Soon after, Benningsen, a
Russian General, advanced with his army and set up headquarters
near us. Now we witnessed combats and skirmishes nearly every day.
It was bitterly cold the night before the attack on Wilhelmsburg and
Hamburg when thousands of Russians camped around us and burnt
down parts of the forest. At dawn the whole army marched across the
ice. The first attack took place on an entrenchment on Finkenwerder.
The Russian took his entrenchment by storm after Lauenburg Rifles
had shot some of the enemy gunners. The surviving troops, mostly
Belgian marines, were taken prisoner. The Russians returned during
the night without having achieved much. They had many casualties,
although the French had more, and, besides that, several hundred
Frenchmen had been taken prisoner. A second encounter ran on
similar lines and many Russians showed a little enthusiasm to fight,
for we collected whole sledges full of cartridges which they had
thrown away when advancing. All the houses in our neighbourhood
were full wounded soldiers and I often witnessed arm or leg amputations. When the ice broke up, a ferry boat with about a hundred
Frenchmen on board drifted down the Elbe to Blankenese where they
were forced to surrender to the Russians. Once, I was also in great
danger, due to the drifting ice. I slipped off an ice-Floe and drifted
downstream until I was rescued an hour later, almost frozen to death.
After the river was open again, a number of English gunboats arrived,
remained at anchor near to where we lived and then later went upstream to Altona to shell the Grevenhof entrenchment.“
To be continued in Fleet News no. 15
ISSUE NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 2011 | PAGE 8
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER
MEET THE MARTINI CHARTERING TEAM
Located in the Laeisz Hof in Hamburg, Martini Chartering GmbH is
the shipbroker who handles the charter activities for container vessels controlled by Reederei F. Laeisz.
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
BOOK REVIEWS
Uwe Hansen, Dirk Poppinga,
100 Jahre Viermastbark Passat: Leben und Lernen an Bord
Published by Oceanum Verlag, 2011
ISBN: 978-3-86927-006-7
The four masted barque ‚Passat‘, one of
the legendary Flying-P-Liner of the owner F.
Laeisz from Hamburg is celebrating 2011
its 100th anniversary. For this reason this
unique photo documentation has been originated. Therein two former seafarer of the
Passat, Uwe Hansen and Dirk Poppinga are
presenting most impressing photographs
from the last 2 voyages of the tall ship 1956
and 1957 from their albums.
Furthermore Martini Chartering is acting as competitive broker for
various clients on an international basis.
Being in close touch with the market, Martini is keeping its own vessel database of container and multipurpose vessels which enables
the broker to produce a number of market reports. One of the most
important reports is the weekly Martini Chartering Market report
which consists of Chartering, Sale and Purchase as well as Container
FFA information. This report is being produced together with ICAP
Shipping. ICAP pcl is the ‘world’s premier voice and electronic interdealer broker’ with about 4.900 employees and offices in more
than 10 countries.
Peter Eckhardt and Sigrid Pilch are heading the chartering exclusive
tonnage whereas Sven Wickland and Thomas Kolb are concentrating
on the competitive business of the company. In this regard it is very
important to have a feeling for the market, being well connected and
up to date. In order to transport this information to the client, Martini is presently working on the ‘Container App’ which will first be
available for Blackberry users but later on followed by an application
for the I Phone/I Pad. ‘This is a new step for the container chartering market and I am very excited to be able to offer such a product
to our customers’ as Peter Eckhardt, Managing Director of Martini
Chartering puts it. ‘We will be one of the first brokers if not the first
to offer an up to date market template in the container chartering
industry. This will include our usual market information but also
interest- and exchange-rates as well as stock market information
updated by the minute”.
Besides the Chartering activities, Martini Chartering is taking care
of all postfixing activities which are handled by Cécile Küppers and
Stella Nottbrock. Both of them are working very closely together with
the operating departments of our customers. Their main task is to
accompany the clients through the duration of the charter contract.
Top, from left to right: Sven Wickland, Stella Nottbrock, Sigrid Pilch, Cécile Küppers Below, from left to right: Thomas Kolb, Sven
Baatz, Peter Eckhardt.
Amongst others they show touchingly the last encounter of the Passat with her half-sister ‘Pamir’ which was sunken right after in the
hurricane ‘Carrie’. With dramatic photos they show the storm which
was following this encounter and almost would have been turned out
as a desaster for the Passat as well.
In addition to the photo documentation you will find text of the writers who documents the thrilling voyage of this aged sailing ship,
which transported saltpeter from Chile to Europe for many years. In
1930’s the vessel sailed under Finish flag with wheat to Australia.
1951 the Passat was been converted in a training ship. Today it is
serving as a museum ship on the Priwall in Travemünde.
Walther König, Johannes Holst, „Maler der See“
Published by Koehler Verlag, 2011
ISBN-10: 3782210050
The idyllic farmers and fishers
Island Altenwerder before the
gates of Hamburg, only the far
visible church tower remained
after the construction of container terminal and the excellent
timeless work of their most important son of Johannes Holst
(1880-1965). He was known as
the painter, who was the great
period of the windjammer with their towering masts at Cape Horn,
which put a monument to the Ewern and vessels of Blankenese,
Finkenwerder and Altenwerder and painted a gripping race scenes.
He was proud to be, whose master was the nature of an autodidact.
Walter Koenig knew the painter personally and intensively focused
in his work. In 1998 put it a first volume on Holst above, which
very quickly reached the port of maritime art lovers. Now, a work
is available with new insights about the career of the artist, with
restored text and images of „the unknown Holst“, which will surprise some Holst lovers. For the first time, the author creates a list
of works, that all previously known paintings from Holst recorded.
PUBLISHED BY:
Reederei F. Laeisz G.m.b.H.
Phone: +49 40 36808-229 · Fax: +49 40 36808-257
E-Mail: [email protected] · www.laeisz.de · Design & Layout: www.matrix-design.com