OUR HISTORY

Since the middle of the 19th century the name Herm. Dauelsberg has been closely related to the development of the shipping business in the port of Bremen.
In 1857 Hermann Dauelsberg obtained permission from the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Bremen to take over the licence to run an already existing shipbroker business under the name of Herm. Dauelsberg. Mr. Christian August Bunnemann was already at that time with the existing Company as an apprentice.

Mr. Christian August Bunnemann, was principally responsible for developing the success of the shipbroking and liner agency business. He quickly became a partner and took over the remaining shares from Hermann Dauelsberg's son Carl when he died in 1887.

Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG. remains a family owned company to this day and four generations later it is managed by the brothers C.Andreas Bunnemann (until his retirement end 2006) and Klaus F. Bunnemann who have been in charge since 1976.
As of April 2008 Nicolaus Bunnemann, son of Klaus F. Bunnemann and representing the 5th generation, has joined the company.

Over the years the Company's core business has changed to meet demands and opportunities available to it within the shipping industry. At the start the main business was port agency activities and cargo bookings also for deep sea shipments which lead into owning of sailing ships trading in particular to North and South America. Thereafter the booking of sea passages for emigrants wanting to go to North America became a very important business which lasted until late in the 19th century. The business as chartering broker, port agency and ship owning remained but, it was the liner agency which became the core business of Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG for over one hundred years, from the establishment of liner shipping in the late 19th century to the end of the 20th century.

As the liner companies started to take over the liner agency work themselves in the late 1980's and the 1990's Herm. Dauelsberg had nearly all their agency agreements terminated.

Today the company's core business is ship owning. The foundation for this was laid in the year 1867 when the Brigg "Betty" was purchased by Herm. Dauelsberg. At that time however and during the busy days of the liner agency business ship owning only played a minor part of the company's activities, this changed in consequence of the termination of the liner agency business. With the foresight, flexibility and the personal dedication of C. Andreas Bunnemann and Klaus F. Bunnemann, Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG has today a fleet of 12 modern containerships with a capacity between 1450 and 5100 TEU.

Following a longstanding tradition going back nearly 150 years, Herm. Dauelsberg remains a service provider and partner to the national and international shipping communities. The high standard of ship management ensures the liner operators, having the vessels on charter, a high degree of attention and reliability in the daily performance.
The shipbroker Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG. is appreciated by clients and partners for a consistent service on Chartering, Sale & Purchase and Port Agency.