Zeaborn Shipping Takes Over E.R. Schiffahrt

February 5, 2018

Bremen-based ship owner and manager Zeaborn Shipping GmbH & Co. KG is set to acquire 100 percent of the shares of German ship manager E.R. Schiffahrt with effect January 1, 2018.

The move, subject to approval from regulatory authorities, will see E.R. Schiffahrt, Harper Petersen and Rickmers Shipmanagement integrate their ship management services under one roof.

The Hamburg-based joint entity will have a fleet of 165 containerships, bulk carriers and multipurpose vessels.

“With a strong and highly motivated global team of over 360 staff ashore, 5,000 employees at sea and major hubs in Singapore and Manila we will continue to provide first class services to our clients,” E.R. Schiffahrt said announcing the deal.

The company will be led by Nils Aden and Holger Strack as Co-CEOs during the initial integration phase.

Holger Strack will be taking over other responsibilities within the Zeaborn Group during the course of 2018.

Zeaborn’s move follows the acquisition of compatriot Rickmers-Linie, including NPC Projects, from February 2017.

The acquisition is part of German shipping market’s consolidation process which has brought together several players from the market.

To remind, in March 2017, Hamburg shipping company Claus-Peter Offen took over the Munich-based Conti Group and the qualified majority of shares in the Bremer Bereederungsgesellschaft BBG.

With the addition of Conti Group’s 68 ships and BBG’s managed fleet, the Offen Group grew its fleet to 169 ships.