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Dutch Houseflags of Shipping Companies [m]

Other "m" companies:

See also:

W. Maas

image by Jarig Bakker, 24 Jul 2008

‘W. Maas B.V. Internationale Scheepsbevrachtingen’ is a Dutch international maritime – or waterway – freighting office at Maasbracht, an inland port on the River Maas. According to various internet directories, the firm specializes in sand and gravel transportation.
The company is not large but it flies an interesting house flag obviously inspired by the provincial one (Limburg): Recently offered on Marktplaats (Dutch auction site), the house flag of W. Maas is horizontally divided white-blue-yellow, a red lion rampant (crowned, double-tailed) in the hoist and the name ‘W.MAAS’ in white on the blue stripe.
This was offer no. 173162067 dated 3 Jun 2008 put up by “Ghis” (Westdorpe, Zeeland) who adds that the flag is made of nylon and measures 105 cm x 142 cm.

Other examples of modified provincial flags in inland shipping are Aerts (modelled on Zeeland); and (placing the complete provincial arms on the house flag) Noord-Brabant, the blue flag in the middle.
Jan Mertens, 23 Jul 2008

Maaskade Bevrachtingskantoor

image by Jos Telleman, 12 Nov 2006

Another houseflag sent by Jos Telleman: Maaskade Bevrachtingskantoor (Freighting Office), Zwijndrecht (Zuid-Holland) & Gent (Oost-Vlaanderen). Flag: white - blue - white, proportioned c. 12:4:1; in top center the firm's logo; on blue "Maaskade" in white.

Company homepage with a clear view of the houseflag. Info from that site:
"Maaskade Forwarders is specialised in the transport of non-hazardous liquids by inland tanker on all European inland waterways. Maaskade Forwarders possesses the largest fleet of inland tankers for the transport of non-hazardous products.
After starting in 1961 with two 200-ton molasses tankers, these days Maaskade Forwarders serves the market with a fleet of over forty inland tankers varying in capacity from 300 to 2,000 tons. In 1961 Maaskade Forwarders transported mainly molasses and vinasses for the animal feed and fermentation industry.
Now, over 40 years later, Maaskade Forwarders still serves the fermentation and animal feed industry but also the food-, paper-, wine-industries and various other markets.
Jarig Bakker, 12 Nov 2006

RSHV Maasrix

image by Jos Telleman, 12 Nov 2006

Further Nigoco companies – again, owning a single ship – presented in: F. Haalmeijer and B. Scholten, ‘Van Nievelt, Goudriaan & Co’s Stoomvaart Maatschappij (Nigoco), a 1995 book, are ‘RSHV Maasrix BV’ and ‘RSHV Schelderix BV’ established at Rotterdam (NL) and Monrovia (LR). Both are exclusively Dutch according to this Nigoco ships list: giving 1977-1983 and 1978-1982, respectively, as periods of existence. According to above authors, both ships sailed under the Liberian flag (Nigoco staff). Operated for short periods, they were soon sold. Sturdy ‘Schelderix’, renamed ‘Akarita’, was to survive an Exocet hit during the Iraqi-Iranian war!

‘RSHV’ stood for Rijn-Schelde-Verolme, the famous shipbuilding firm, and Steenkolen Handels Vereniging, owner of Nigoco 1968-1984.
The house flag resembles that of Asterix and related companies (LR, AN): white field, narrow red and blue horizontal stripes set away from the edges (Dutch national colours again) and between the stripes an orange equilateral triangle set on one point.
Original image drawn by Martin Heere and taken from above book.
Jan Merterix, 31 Oct 2008

Maatschappij Vrachtvaart

image by Jarig Bakker, 19 Sep 2007

N.V. Maatschappij Vrachtvaart, Rotterdam.
Flag: red field, white "MV".
Source: Wyt's Digest of Dutch Shipping and Shipbuilding, 1966.
Jarig Bakker, 19 Sep 2007

MES

image by Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2005

Maatschappij to Exploitatie van Stoomvaart, Rotterdam.
Flag: blue field, in fly white "M", in canton the Dutch colors..
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2005

Millingen

image by Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2005

Scheepvaart Maatschappij Millingen (G.H. Spliethoff), Rotterdam.
Flag: blue field, white diamond, blue "M".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 27 Jan 2005

MiniBarging

image by Eugene Ipavec, 4 Feb 2009

“Where Mega Stops Mini Continues” is the slogan adopted by MiniBarging, a group of three Dutch inland vessel owners working together. Mini website: ‘Boris’, ‘Padua’, and ‘Tonny’ are the three barges in question.
A recent eBay item was a table flag representing this group. Black field with blue right-leaning parallelogram, white name ‘Minibarging’ (italic, no serifs) over all. Source: German eBay offer no. 360122419286 (end 18 Jan 2008) put up by “kaethedorsch1”.
But does it exist in life size? Yes – see the Stüürmann site, maintained by Michael Harms, this page in particular (click ‘Tonny’, opens in new window): the flag is hoisted on the bow alongside Gevelco.
Jan Mertens, 2 Feb 2009

Minoltra

image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Jun 2006

This Dutch firm proclaims right away what it is about on the company site - “chartering & riverbarges / for inland coastal transports of mineral oil products and semi-chemical products”. In the ‘Info’ section we learn that Minoltra was founded in 1998 and operates barges between 1000 and 3500 metric tonnes in an area comprising the Benelux countries, France, Germany, and reaching into Switzerland.

Minoltra's business seat is Alblasserdam, a village situated - roughly - between Rotterdam and Dordrecht.

The Vlootschouw site shows the Minoltra houseflag here (vessel ‘Emma’ page): Two large triangles, the upper one blue and the lower one yellow, have their bases on the hoist and define a small black triangular area where they overlap. In the white triangular fly is placed the image of a black vessel on a blue stylized wave, sailing towards the hoist.

For a photo, see Michael Harms’s site, click ‘Gallery’ then ‘Binnenschiffe’, select ‘Tankschiffe’ and once there, the Belgian vessel ‘Arnaud’.
Jan Mertens, 20 Jun 2006

Moerman Kustvaart

image by Jarig Bakker, 13 Feb 2006

Kustvaartbedrijf Moerman B.V., Schiedam.
Flag: horizontal green - white - green, in center white disk, green "M".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95].
Jarig Bakker, 13 Feb 2006

MZC

image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 Aug 2008

Wambersie & Zoon, already mentioned in a message of 15 Jul 2008: ‘Stoomvaart Mij. "Atlas" (NL)’ were also instrumental in founding (when?) EmZetCo or ‘Middellandsche Zeevaart Cie’ (Mediterranean Shipping Co.).
For a time at least this shipping company was managed by Anthony Veder, who later would have his own firm. EmZetCo was wound up in 1939.
Also shown in the 1925 Rotterdam source, the striking house flag was royal? blue bearing a yellow serpent – facing the fly – biting its own tail and enclosing yellow ‘MZC’ initials, placed 2 and 1.
Jan Mertens, 24 Jul 2008

The snake biring its tail is the "worm Ouroboros", emblematic serpent of ancient Egypt and greece reprsented with its tail in its mouth continually devouring itself and being reborn. A gnostic and alchemic symbol, Ouroboros expresses the unity of all things, material and spiritual, which perpetually change form in an eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation.
In the 19th century, a vision of Ouroboros gave the German chemist Friedrich August Kekule von Stradonitz the idea of linked carbon atoms forming the benzene ring.
Eugene Ipavec, 3 Aug 2008