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History

5th Generation: 2013 – present

Johann Bernhard Schulte (1982) & Hermann Christoph Schulte (1984)

Konsul Johann Hermann Schulte (1847 - 1920)

1883

Founding of Schulte & Bruns

Founding of Schulte & Bruns

Founding of Schulte & Bruns by Johann Hermann Schulte, a ship broking and ship agency, alongside his friend Christoph Bruns in Papenburg.

1893

Establishment of a branch

Establishment of a branch

Johann Hermann Schulte moves to Emden and establishes a branch of Schulte & Bruns.

1900

Acquisition of 12 sailing vessels

Acquisition of 12 sailing vessels

Schulte & Bruns acquires 12 sailing vessels which were mainly employed in the Baltic timber trade.

1912

Acquisition of first steamship

Acquisition of first steamship

Schulte & Bruns buys their very first steamship, ‘Konsul Schulte’.

1917

Separation of Schulte and Bruns

Separation of Schulte and Bruns

Johann Hermann Schulte and Christoph Bruns split. Christoph Bruns gets involved in shipbroking, agency and cargo handling in Papenburg, whose firm is still active today. A shipyard was founded.

2nd Generation

Konsul Heinrich Schulte (1876 - 1937) & Konsul Johann Schulte (1877 - 1938)

1923

Inflation and world economic crisis

Inflation and world economic crisis

As Konsul Heinrich Schulte takes over, the inflation and world economic crisis are mastered during 1923 and 1929 – 1930.

1937

Third generation takes the helm

Third generation takes the helm

During the years of 1937 – 1938, the third generation takes the helm.

1939

Supply of raw materials

Supply of raw materials

The seagoing fleet comprises of 16 vessels with approximately 90,000 dwt and an armada of inland waterway barges. The company has offices in Emden, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Duisburg while focusing on the supply of raw materials to the German mining and steel industry.

1st Generation  3rd Generation

Konsul Bernhard Schulte (1907 - 1975) & Hans-Heinrich Schulte (1909-2015)

1945

Re-opening of office

Re-opening of office

The third generation re-opens the office after World War II with their last three surviving steamers being expropriated by the Allies and soon after loaded with ammunition and scuttled in the North Sea. Step by step, the hereditary fields of shipping are regained during the years of 1945 – 1948.

1949

First vessel after the war

First vessel after the war

The company purchases the first vessel, ‘Konsul Schulte’, after the war.

1955

Founding of Bernhard Schulte

Founding of Bernhard Schulte

Schulte & Bruns is one of the leading shipping companies in post-war Germany. Konsul Bernhard Schulte splits away, forming his own ship owning company in Hamburg which focuses on a new business line: operating in the spot markets without reliance on contract cover.

1956

Expansion of fleet

Expansion of fleet

‘Suez Boom’, the shipping boom that transforms the Suez Canal and helps to expand the fleet.

1957

Delivery of newbuildings

Delivery of newbuildings

13 newbuildings are delivered, half of which are owned in partnership with Doornkaat AG and other old friends.

2nd Generation  4th Generation

Dr. Heinrich Udo Schulte (1935) & Thomas Wilhelm Schulte (1939)

1963

The start of the fourth generation

The start of the fourth generation

The fourth generation starts with Dr. Heinrich Schulte owning 14 vessels.

1967

EXPANSION of Chartering Department

EXPANSION of Chartering Department

Thomas Schulte joins the company and expands the in-house chartering activities of owned and external tonnage.

1968

Steady expansion of Bernhard Schulte

Steady expansion of Bernhard Schulte

A first step has been taken towards specialisation. In November 1968, the management of the first German LPG tanker, KAP ROLAND, was taken over.

1971

A family controlled company

A family controlled company

The majority of the Bernhard Schulte fleet is now truly family controlled. At the same time, the first vessel is flagged out to Liberia, with many others following that path.

1972

Creation of the first ship management business

Creation of the first ship management business

The first German-controlled ship management company was formed in Limassol, Cyprus, with the name Hanseatic Shipping Co.

1973

Expansion in gas vessel segment

Expansion in gas vessel segment

Further expansion of specialist gas carrier expertise with the delivery of three owned ethylene and LNG capable gas carriers (Anna, Sophie and Lissy Schulte).

1975

Tribute to a leader

Tribute to a leader

Konsul Bernhard Schulte passes away.

1980

Ascan Lutteroth joins the management team

Ascan Lutteroth joins the management team

Ascan Lutteroth, the brother-in-law of Dr. Heinrich and Thomas Schulte, joins the management team.

1981

Start of shipping crisis

Start of shipping crisis

The shipping crisis strikes a company with 30 owned and over 100 managed vessels.

1987

End of shipping crisis

End of shipping crisis

Only 22 vessels are left at the end of the crisis with limited reserves. Thomas Schulte leaves Bernhard Schulte with four vessels and sets up his own company.

1988

Move into Container vessels

Move into Container vessels

The company makes the move into fully cellularised containerships.

1989

Membership with Unigas

Membership with Unigas

The company becomes a member of the Unigas Pool, a commercial operator for gas carriers of up to 15,000 cbm.

1996

MOVE INTO NEW SEGMENTS

MOVE INTO NEW SEGMENTS

The company enters the third sector of shipping activities with the acquisition of the Hamburg-based liner operator, Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Reederei. The company also moves into product tankers by purchasing five 1986-built chemical product tankers and placing two product tanker newbuilding orders at HHI.

2001

Bernhard Schulte CEO

Bernhard Schulte CEO

The Bernhard Schulte CEO position is transferred to Ian Beveridge.

2004

Move into Crude Oil Tankers

Move into Crude Oil Tankers

Bernhard Schulte makes the move into crude oil tankers and restarts with dry bulk carrier activities.

2008

Formation of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement

Formation of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement

The hitherto independent Schulte Group shipmanagement companies (Hanseatic Shipping, Dorchester Atlantic Marine, Eurasia Group and Vorsetzen Bereederungs- und Schiffahrtskontor) are merged under the name Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, with the vision to be a leading maritime solutions provider.

2011

The New Schulte Group headquarters

The New Schulte Group headquarters

Bernhard Schulte moves into a new office building in the heart of the Hamburg harbour.

3rd Generation  5th Generation

Johann Bernhard Schulte (1982) & Hermann Christoph Schulte (1984)

2013

The start of the fifth generation

The start of the fifth generation

The sons of Dr. Heinrich Schulte, Johann Bernhard and Hermann Christoph, join the company as partners.

2014

Entry into large scale LNG carrier ownership

Entry into large scale LNG carrier ownership

The company enters the market for large scale LNG carrier ownership by ordering a 174.000 cbm vessel through a Joint Venture with Mitsui & Co.

Entry into Offshore wind farm maintenance vessels

Entry into Offshore wind farm maintenance vessels

The company enters the market of offshore wind farm maintenance vessels by ordering two service operation vessels with a Chinese partner in a Joint Venture. BS Offshore was formed in the following year as an entity to develop Bernhard Schulte’s offshore ship owning capabilities.

2015

Creation of Hanseatic Unity Chartering

Creation of Hanseatic Unity Chartering

OPDR is sold to CMA CGM, after Bernhard Schulte decides not to focus on liner operations as a core business. O&S Chartering, Bernhard Schulte’s joint venture with Reederei Nord for chartering containerships and bulk carriers, is renamed to Hanseatic Unity Chartering (HUC) with Borealis Ltd. incorporated as the third partner. In 2017, Asiatic/Atlantic Lloyd and Leonhardt & Blumberg also joined as partners of HUC. In 2021, BS departs from Hanseatic Unity Chartering.

2017

Move into Dry Bulk Carrier ownership

Move into Dry Bulk Carrier ownership

Bernhard Schulte moves into fully owned dry bulk carriers by ordering four large handy-size bulk carriers.

2018

Addition of LNG Bunker Tanker

Addition of LNG Bunker Tanker

Delivery of 7.500 cbm LNG bunker tanker, “Kairos”, that is jointly owned with Babcock International.

2019

Formation of Hanseatic Maritime Advisory Services

Formation of Hanseatic Maritime Advisory Services

Formation of Hanseatic Maritime Advisory Services offering consultancy services to third-party customers.

Formation of Innoport venture capital

Formation of Innoport venture capital

Formation of Innoport venture capital for the pursuit of business opportunities within the global maritime and logistics start-up scene.

Creation of a global marine travel service provider

Creation of a global marine travel service provider

BCD travel, a leading travel management company, joins forces with BSM to create a specialised, dynamic and highly responsive global marine travel service provider. This joint venture bolsters BCD’s expansion of its global Energy, Resources & Marine practice, adding specialised services for the marine sector.

2020

MariApps takes over Rescompany

MariApps takes over Rescompany

MariApps takes over Rescompany, a provider of integrated web-based hospitality software for cruise ships.

Formation of Hanseatic Connect

Formation of Hanseatic Connect

Formation of Hanseatic Connect, specialising in global healthcare recruitment solutions.

2021

Establishment of Hurtigruten Technical Services

Establishment of Hurtigruten Technical Services

BSM Cruise Services and Hurtigruten complete a joint venture and establish Hurtigruten Technical Services, to manage Hurtigruten’s fleet of expedition cruise ships.

4th Generation