Rotterdamsche Lloyd (The Netherlands)

Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd. Wm. Ruys & Zonen, Rotterdam

Last modified: 2005-02-26 by jarig bakker
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• Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd
• N.V. Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Rotterdam", Rotterdam
• Rotterdamsche Lloyd
• Rotterdamsche Lloyd - other version
• Rotterdam
• Wm. Ruys & Zonen
• Wm. Ruys & Zonen - other version
• Triton
• N.V. Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Rotterdam" - other design

• The Netherlands
• The Netherlands - Index of all pages
• Houseflags of Dutch Shipping Companies
• Houseflags of Shipping Companies

Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd

From the link provided by Barbara Tomlinson of The National Maritime Museum: "The house flag of Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd N. V., Rotterdam. A red, rectangular flag with a white cross. In the centre there is a blue square with the white letters 'RL' and a crown above. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is
machine sewn. The motif is printed. A rope is attached."
Jarig Bakker, 4 Sep 2004

N.V. Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Rotterdam", Rotterdam

Image from Flagchart of houseflags of Dutch shipping companies, attached to the magazine "De Blauwe Wimpel", April 1956.
Jarig Bakker, 1 Feb 2001

N.V. Stoomvaart Maatschsappij "Rotterdam".  The flag is actually that of owners and managers Wm. Ruys & Zonen who originated in 1844 when William Ruys went into shipping. This particular flag appears to date from post WW2 after previously bearing the letters "WRZ" though it is not clear whether this was the original flag as Griffin 1895 shows a version without any letters. In  1883 Rotterdamsche Lloyd was formed and this had a flag bearing the letters "RL".  Other companies controlled by Ruys used the same format i.e. Stoomvaart  Maatschappij "Rotterdam" had a single "R" whilst Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Triton" had a "T". Rotterdamsche Lloyd was managed by Wm. Ruys & Zonen which would explain why some sources showed their flag for it. In 1947 Rotterdamsche Lloyd became Koninklijke Rotterdamsch Lloyd N.V. and added a yellow crown on the upper white cross arm above the blue panel bearing the white "RL" and then in 1970 it was merged into Nederlandsche Scheepvaart  Unie N.V. [which had operated from 1908 as a holding company but now became an operating one] with the fleet coming under Koninklijke Nedlloyd B.V. By this time Stoomvaart Maaschappij "Rotterdam" had disappeared but I do not know what happed to Wm Ruys & Zonen who at 1970 were shown as managing part of  Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Titon" with neither they nor the ships appearing in Lloyds 1973.
Neale Rosanoski, 25 Sep 2003

Rotterdamsche Lloyd

Image according to the houseflagchart of the Magazine "De Blauwe Wimpel", April 1956.
Houseflag: Red, with White St. Georges's cross and "RL" in Blue Center.
Later it became "Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd. Wm. Ruys & Zonen), with new houseflag: Red with White St. George's Cross and Crown in White over RL in Blue Center.
Its flagship was the "Willem Ruys", which in 1961 was used to provide rooms for students in Amsterdam; later it was sold to an Italian company, which renamed it "Achille Lauro".
Jarig Bakker, 11 Oct 2003

Began operations in 1839.  In 1881 the company was renamed Stoomvaart Maatschappij Rotterdamsche Lloyd and later (1883) N.V. Rotterdamsche Lloyd. Koninklijke (Royal) was added to the name after World War II. In 1948 it co-founded Nedlloyd.  The company merged with several other companies to create N.V. Rotterdamsche Lloyd in 1970.  Netherlands.
Phil Nelson, 10 Oct 2003

Rotterdamsche Lloyd - other version

In Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1951, [wed51] is yet another "ruitjesvlag": the blue center charged with black "RL".
Caption: Rotterdamsche Lloyd (Wm. Ruys & Zonen), Rotterdam.
Jarig Bakker, 30 Jan 2005

Rotterdam

"Rotterdam" Scheepvaart Maatschappij (Wm. Ruys & Sons), Rotterdam Red flag, white wide-armed cross, with in the center a blue rectangle charged with "R" in white.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 16 Dec 2004

Wm. Ruys & Zonen

Wm. Ruys & Zonen, Rotterdam -  Red flag, white wide-armed cross, with in the center a blue rectangle charged with "WRZ" in white.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 16 Dec 2004

Wm. Ruys & Zonen - other version

I can also add another version for Wm. Ruys & Zonen with the letters being "WR&Z", which comes from the books Handboek voor Scheepvaartbelangen in Nederland (1917) and Scheepsbouw en Scheepvaart (1946).
Neale Rosanoski, 22 Jan 2005

Triton

Stoomvaartmaatschappij Triton (Wm. Ruys & Son), Rotterdam - Red flag, white cross, with in the center a blue rectangle, white "T".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 1 Jan 2005

N.V. Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Rotterdam" - other design

From the link provided by Barbara Tomlinson of The National Maritime Museum: "The house flag of the Rotterdam Steam Ship Co. A white rectangular flag with a blue five-pointed star in the upper hoist corner and a blue letter 'E' in the fly. The flag is made of nylon and is machine sewn. A rope and clip is attached."
It is the same pattern as the flags of Hudig & Veder/Maatschappij Zeevaart. - but quite different from the flag of Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Rotterdam"...
Jarig Bakker, 27 Aug 2004