Shinwa Kaiun Kaisha Ltd (Japanese shipping company)

Maritime company Shinwa Kaiun Kaisha Ltd, , established at Tokyo, is part of the Shinwa Group and active in an impressive number of areas: besides shipping proper there are logistics, sale of ships and machinery, real estate, personnel agency, insurance, etc.

From the homepage one learns that Shinwa K.K. was founded in 1950 as Nittetsu Steamship, formerly part of Nippon Steel shipping operations; in 1962 merger with Toho Kaiun Kaisha to become Shinwa Kaiun Kaisha.

In 1964, part of Nippon Yusen Group. Ten years later, Shinwa Naiko Kaiun Kaisha is formed. All along, subsidiaries or liaison offices in various countries have been established. In 1994, merger with Shinsei Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd.

Dajin Shipping Pte Ltd, subsidiary in Singapore, founded 1999 (joint venture with local operator) to become fully owned Shinwa (Singapore) this year: this entity will operate the new chemical carrier department.

According to the firm’s website, 85 ships - most of them under foreign flag - are operated. These carry ore, coal, oil and LPG world-wide; there is a tramp service as well.

The flag is seen flying on the bow of a ship (underway): a large white initial ‘S’, serifed, is placed on a blue field. However the flag in the photo has a much darker blue, as have the ships’ funnels I have seen pictures of.
Jan Mertens, 26 June 2007

A subsidiary of Shinwa Kaiun Kaisha, Shinwa Naiko Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd has a website of its own (in Japanese).

The company seems to have been founded in 1961 and flies the same house flag as Shinwa Kaiun, a large white serifed initial `S' on blue.

Ships are listed; and indeed the company has a mission of its own as stated by Google Finance:

Shinwa Naiko Kaiun Kaisha Ltd. (…) is a domestic marine transportation company. The Company's major handling cargo includes limestone, steel, cement and calcium carbonate. It has a fleet consisting of four vessels for limestone, three for cement, two for calcium carbonate and 28 for general cargos.

Jan Mertens, 22 July 2007