Lemisoller Shipping Group

[Mac Mackay]

Lemisoller Shipping Group of Cyprus reported to have purchased five ships engaged in paper carrying Canada/ US/ South America, including their contracts. This description fits the ships of Rederei AB Transatlantic (former Gorthons) May explain why tow have already been renamed Trans... Any confirmation?

[Pekka Laakso]

Hi,

Made some google searches and finally found few informative piece of news of the subject, this being the most clarifying one:
http://www.americanshipper.com/SNW_story.asp?news=87213

Quotation there: "Five paper product carriers owned by Lemissoler will be transferred to the new venture, which is also looking to obtain Panamax containerships to charter out."

You can also read page 3 from this pdf:

http://www.xak.com/news_files/Cyprus.pdf?d=073

It gives an impression the acquired vessels are the five they already have owned for few years (4 old Gorthons and Forest Venture).

What RABT is doing now looks they re only combining their old Gorthons and B&N vessels under their present brand by renaming and repainting the vessels. For example TRANSMAPLE (which I by the way photographed yesterday) remains under Swedish flag, the homeport though has been changed from Helsingborg to Sk

[snocky]

Hi Mac. Good to hear from you & nordica. Am deeply interested in company RABT & have few friends sailing their ships. JOH, MARGIT, INGRID & ALIDA GORTHON all operating by this new company flying CYPRIOT flag & are chartered back by RABT & sporting TRANS ATLANTIC insignia on funnel same as all trans atlantic ships. The four GORTHON ships are still carrying out same trade as before & are chartered for up to 4 yrs., until TRANS ATLANTIC aquires new ships. This was plan , but who knows what the future holds. All i know is a few SWEDISH jobs disappeared in the switch. Would love to be kept updated on this. "BOB"

[Mac Mackay]

Thanks for the interest in this. I have been following Gorthon particularly, for many years.
I agree, it seems the press references are to the ships that Lemisoller already owns.
I see in Transatlantic's year end report, posted the other day, that they have broken off negotiations on newbuildings. They seem to be doing well financially, but these are complex ships, and will need to be in service for 25 to 30 years, so I guess it pays to be careful.

[snocky]

MAC & NORDICA WOULD APPR. YOU KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH ANY MORE NEWS ON THIS TOPIC. THANKS . "BOB".

[Mac Mackay]

Finnpine has now become Transpine (Equasis recorded the date as May 5), but she was renamed in April.

[Pekka Laakso]

But still this does not have anything to do with Lemissoler group.

According to Bob(garigola) it will be true Fighter and Wood will get also Trans-prefixes but the suffixes will stay as Fighter and Wood.