History of John T. Essberger
 
The history of the privately owned John T. Essberger Group dates back to the year 1924, when the former Imperial Navy Officer, Commander John Theodor Essberger (1886-1959), established himself as a tanker shipowner in Hamburg, Germany.
Today the company, which has meanwhile become highly diversified, is managed in the third generation by the Essberger/von Rantzau family.
The company headquarters are based on Palmaille 45-49 in Hamburg-Altona.
In the pioneer days of tanker shipping John T. Essberger became one of the primary names in the transport of liquid bulk. The success was built on break-through innovations in design and construction of tankers combined with a careful selection of top officers and crew. The policy has been continued to the present days.
In 1959, after his death, his daughter Liselotte von Rantzau-Essberger (1918-1993) took over the helm of the group.
In the 1980s the third generation compromising Dr. Eberhart von Rantzau and Heinrich von Rantzau adapted the company to new requirements. The company found an attractive market in the transport of chemicals.

Today the company consists of:
  • the shipping lines Deutsche Africa-Linen, the traditional liner services to Southern Africa, as well as the DAL service to East Africa and the Islands of the Indian Ocean,
  • the group’s tramp shipping activities pooled in TOL Transocean Liners,
  • TOS Transocean Shipmanagement manages the company’s own fleet and vessels.

With an annual turnover of around 350 million Euro/Dollar this independent mid-sized private group of companies today employs a staff of about 1,200 worldwide.

John T. Essberger contributes modern and highly sophisticated chemical tankers in Essberger ChemPool fleet operating throughout Europe from upper Baltic region to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The Essberger ChemPool vessels range from 2500 to 6500 DWT.

 

 
 


The expertise of three generations
 
 

The company headquarters