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Dutch Houseflags of Shipping Companies [p]

Padmos Machinefabriek
Phoenix Lijn
Phijffer
J. de Poorter
Postoils
Primlaks, Rotterdam
Princenhagen

See also:

Padmos Machinefabriek

image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 Jul 2006

A photo on the Vlootschouw site shows an unusal flag on the fishing boat, ‘ZZ-19 Nehalennia’, easily identified - thanks to the layout of these pages - as belonging to the Dutch shipbuilding and repair company, Machinefabriek (“machine factory”) Padmos based at Stellendam (Goeree-Overflakkee) and Bruinisse
(Schouwen-Duiveland), Zeeland.
Company site.

Some history and general information gleaned from these pages: founded in 1930 by Mr Padmos as a repair workshop for the fishing industry eventually leading to the establishment of a winch factory at Bruinisse in 1964. Building fishing vessels started in 1955. Moved activities to open sea shore because of the Delta Works (dams); a floating dock was acquired. Mitsubishi marine diesel engines dealer since 1973. Still a family-led business.
Under ‘Newbuilding’ see descriptions of specialized fishing vessels such as the "eurobeamer" and the "beam trawler". Other kinds of ship built are tugboats and survey vessels. ‘Shipaccessories’ lists various sorts of equipment for fishery.
In fact Padmos consists of three companies, the works at Stellendam and Bruinisse respectively plus ‘Dokmij’ which relates to the drydock I am sure.

On the Vlootschouw page we see a yellow flag with a white disk containing the company logo in blue; there is also a white stripe near the bottom mentioning ‘PADMOS’ in blue. I could be mistaken but it seems as if the letters on the flag are in the same font as that used on the Padmos home page.
Jan Mertens, 11 Jul 2006

Phoenix Lijn

image by Jarig Bakker, 6 Jul 2004

Image from the flagchart "Vlaggen in de haven van Amsterdam" (flags in the harbour of Amsterdam), no date - Phoenix Lijn - ship "Phoenix" a line-service to Great Britain, cargo handled by W.F. Kampman's Bevrachtingskantoor, Amsterdam.
I assume it is (was?) Dutch, but I'm not 100 % sure. A blue flag with an orange diamond charged with a blue capital P
Jarig Bakker, 6 Jul 2004

My father (a passenger of the Phoenix in 1953) believes that the 'Phoenix' company was started up by his grandfather (my great-grandfather), Pieter Cornelis Pieters, as a result of a 'difference in opinion' with regards to the running of the existing family business, another shipping line you have documented, 'Hudig and Pieters'. The creation of the break-away Phoenix line was thought to have caused some tension within the family at the time. PC Pieters found himself with the contacts no doubt thanks to him being the Director of the London-Rotterdam Maritime Agency Ltd based in London amongst other posts in the UK. So although he was a Dutchman, PC Pieters (Partner in Hudig & Pieters for a period) remained in the UK with his wife and three children until his death. The running of daily operations was consequently taken over by PC Pieters' son, William (Bill) Ludo Pieters. Presumably this was sometime before 1943 (PC Pieters passed away in Kent, UK on the 17th November 1943).

I have a copy of a family book, Die Familie Pieters, published in 1956 (in Dutch) as a limited edition to commemorate 100 years of Hudig & Pieters. I also hold the English translation of that book. The book itself is an in depth look at the history of the company focussing on each generation of the Pieters family directly involved with Hudig and Pieters. I notice that in contrast to the 'H&P' detailed on your Hudig and Pieters houseflag, those letters were not commonly displayed on the flag elsewhere.
Certainly they do not appear on the flag displayed on the front cover of the family book nor on other commemorative items (such as a dinner set). Last year I met with the last managing partner of the Hudig & Pieters firm (prior to its merger(take-over) by Dammers in 1970), Ludovicus Johannes Pieters. The elderly LJ Pieters lives in Rhoon, near Rotterdam - he still flies the Hudig & Pieters houseflag at his home (see photos attached - also no H&P displayed(?)).
Rohan Tomas Lyall-Wilson, 16 Aug 2006

Phijffer

image by Eugene Ipavec, 20 Jun 2006

Information on Company site of Phijffer, Dutch inland navigation firm:
Founded in 1924 by A.A. Phijffer, this Nijmegen-based company is active in freighting loads of all kinds (sand, gravel, containers, materials destined for recycling, etc.). According to the site, the vessels in question have capacities between 400 and 2000 metric tonnes. Phijffer also ensures transhipment and is a sand and gravel supplier.

Some vessels are shown flying the Phijffer flag and others as well but…these are unrecognizable or unknown to me.

The house flag is simply light blue with the name ‘PHIJFFER’ on it in white serifless letters, filling out one third of the field. One interesting detail though: the ‘IJ’
digraph is rendered in a form often seen in Dutch upper case letters, the ‘I’ being smaller and placed above the leg of the ‘J’.
Jan Mertens, 17 Jun 2006

J. de Poorter

image by Jarig Bakker, 26 January 2005

J. de Poorter, Rotterdam - five forizontal stripes of blue and white, proportioned (c.) 1:3:1:3:1; in center square blue saltire;
white diamond bordered black; black "JDP".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 26 January 2005

Postoils

image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 Mar 2006

A somewhat odd house flag shown in b/w by Jansen & Van Heck in “Duwvaart” is that of Postoils – listed among the private Dutch operators, it is found between pages 113-138.

It is described as having at left and at right ¼ of a green circle, on top ¼ of a red circle, ¼ of a blue circle at the bottom; the rest being white, is bears ‘WP’ in black. In fact four disk segments seem to push themselves into the picture.

The authors add that the company in question is named ‘R. Postoils BV’ at Pernis (Rotterdam) and show a photo of the ‘Calendula’. See the second – clickable – photo on this site, showing the ‘Calendula 9’ with the house flag in evidence, and an alternative name for the firm i.e. ‘Posstrans’.

The company site shows a tolerable picture (not quite the one shown in “Duwvaart” – the segments are really more triangles with a rounded top corner), using the name ‘Postoils B.V.’ adding ‘Member of the Atlantic Horizon Group’ a little conglomerate of firms I cannot discuss now. Comment on another site:
“Postoils BV is a supplier in Rotterdam. They have access to the Atlantic/Postoils 21-strong barge fleet for bunker deliveries" of oil that is.

As to the Binnenvaart site, it too show this flag listing three successive owners or firms: W. Post at Rotterdam (ship illustrated active since 1963), ‘Wm Post Olietransporten BV’ at Rotterdam (since 1969) and ‘Posttrans BV’ at Pernis (since 1977).

So the ‘WP’ monogram in the flag stands for an owner or founder called W(ille?)m Post! The pieces of the puzzle fall into place…
Jan Mertens, 30 Mar 2006

These aren't really circle segments, though, but rounded rectangles (lozenges?).
Eugene Ipavec, 31 Mar 2006

Primlaks, Rotterdam

image by Jarig Bakker, 21 Dec 2005

Primlaks B.V., Rotterdam - white flag, intertwined blue "P" and turned red "P", over five 5-pointed stars, below a crown, half blue, half red.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 21 Dec 2005

Princenhagen

image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2005

Stoomvaart Maatschappij Princenhagen - white flag, interrupted red saltire; red contoured rectangle, black "SMP".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26].
Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2005