History

How it all started
Christian Friedrich Ahrenkiel, born 1904, founds the shipping company of the same name and bases it in Hamburg. The same year, the experienced shipping expert purchases his first ship – the 21-year-old steamship ALPHA of 2,134 tdw. A few years later, the shipping company set up a co-operation with the Mamemic Line and starts operating the Hamburg-Chicago Line.

Christening of the first newbuilding – the MS ESPERANZA, a 5,200 tdw tweendecker, built at the Flenderwerft shipyard in Lübeck, Germany.

MS CONSTANTIA – a bulk carrier with removable decks – is deployed as the fleet’s first car carrier. With 17,200 tdw, the vessel has the capacity to carry 1,270 cars.

By putting the MS RHEIN-EXPRESS into service, followed by the MS MAIN-EXPRESS one year later, the shipping company embarks on the container shipping market. The same year, the first chemical tanker under Ahrenkiel management and flag puts out to sea. Tankreederei Ahrenkiel is founded.