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Johnson Group (shipping company: Sweden)

Axel Axelson Johnson
Johnson Line
Johnson ScanStar

See also:

Axel Axelson Johnson

Brown 432: Rederiaktiebolaget Nordstjernan Johnson Line, Stockholm

Funnel: Black with, between two yellow bands a blue band with a yellow five-pointed star with a blue J.

Flag: A forked blue flag, with centered on the remaining field, a yellow five-pointed star with a blue J. the angle of the fork is approximately 100 degrees.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 19 October 2003

Johnson Line

Johnson line depiction
image by Jorge Candeias

Johnson Line belonged to Nordstjernan, whose official site is at http://www.nordstjernan.se/. Nordstjernan also owned a part of Silja Line (it doesn't seem as if it still does).
Elias Granqvist, 4 April 2001

This URL includes a flag exactly as that of Johnson Line, except that it is lighter. I wonder how different that is in normal houseflag practice (that is, if there's a difference at all).
Jorge Candeias, 5 April 2001

Dates from 1890, originally known as Rederi A/B Nordstjernan, apparently owned by Axel Axelson Johnson, they merged their passenger vessels into Effjohn International O/Y A/B with a 40% holding. The rest of their ships appear to have been disposed of with the company not appearing to be directly involved in shipping anymore. All indications that I have found are that the houseflag was dark blue as has been originally shown and the light blue version shown on the current Nordstjernan site is presumably that of the current "non shipping" company or possibly just an artistic effect created by the site designer.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 August 2003

I found that they were located in the building which belonged to the Johnson Group and was currently still used by NCC which is the descendent of Rederi A/B Norstjernan, the company which is now confirmed as being formed by group founder Axel Johnson. In the 1980s the group decided to concentrate on the construction business and sold of its shipping interests which included Silja Line and Linjebuss and in 1988 changed the Nordstjernan name to NCC. I previously commented that the indications I had were that the flag was a dark blue and the best example of this is the flag appearing on the Josef Nüsse ^[5] site. However the photo of the building shows a flag etched on the side whilst a similar blue looking flag is being flown from the roof but is far too small to make out the detail. However the version attached to the building is in line with the website logo covered by Elias and Jorge. Determining the correct shade is probably only possible from an actual observation but it may mean there were two shades used for some reason. One point both the Nüsse and building flags seem to agree on though is that the proportions were 1:2.
Neale Rosanoski, 12 August 2006

Johnson ScanStar

[correct] image contributed by Neale Rosanoski, 12 March 2007

Formed 1972 as an international joint venture by Axel Axelson Johnson of Sweden with A/S Det Östasiatiske Kompagni of Denmark and Blue Star Line of UK. The flag is shown by Josef Nüsse ^[5] under Sweden as a white swallowtail with a blue diamond bearing a small white diamond point and two white chevrons pointing to fly with the flag being flown by ships in the service but which retaining their own funnels.
Neale Rosanoski, 12 March 2007

[incorrect] image contributed by Neale Rosanoski, 07 April 2011

My previously sent image is incorrect. The table flag shown on the Josef Nüsse sites, both old and new, does not show a swallowtail but a normal rectangle with the emblem placed in the hoist. My apologies to all, especially Josef.
Neale Rosanoski, 03 April 2011

I can see a flag at http://www.flagpole.de/reedereiflaggen/europa/nordeuropa/; I don't know whether it's what Neale is talking about. That one does seem to show a fork; it's shows as a rectangle, but as a light green fly triangle is unlikely as part of the flag itself, and occurring in several flags at that, I expect it's supposed to be a fork, with the transparency gone amiss.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 07 April 2011

I picked up the "error" while updating my files and faced with what looked like a rectangle instead of a swallowtail assumed I had made a big mistake.
I have two PCs with my main one working two monitors, the other a single one. On the main one I use a resolution of 2048x768 [needed to extend the coverage over the two connected monitors] compared with 1024x768 [I assume that they equate to the same] on the single one (which is used a supplemantary source when my main panels get a bit crowded although the two are not directly connected). When I check out Josef's new site on PC2, I can see the very light shading so it means my original image was correct.
I guess it is bit like cameras and scanning machines. Some can give different shades. My two connected monitors are of different brands and although working off exactly the same resolution do give me slightly different shades at times. In this case as I shift the web page over from one screen to the other they are both showing no sign of the fork. My single monitor with PC2 is another brand and it does show.
My original image was actioned on a previous single monitor. I have always used the same resolution so whether it is different brands { I have had several changes] or that I am now using a 2 monitor connection on the one PC that causes the differences to what I "see" has me beat.
Obviously, if one has a suspicion that things are not what they seem on the face, and the positioning of the emblem in the hoist could be so regarded, although it is not unknown for it to happen to allow more of the fly to disappear through wear and tear before the emblem is affected, then it would now pay to try and check further when one is aware of such a viewing possibility.
As you noted, Josef uses this very light green on other flags and I have have the same problem of not seeing this on my main screens. It just happens that this is the first to be checked out so you have saved me a lot of uneccesary and incorrect adjusting and advising and head scratching at your end as to what I am on about.
I am sending a copy of this to Rob for his uses and attach a scan of what I based my "error" supposition on. If the shading does not appear at your end then you will see what I mean. If it does then my monitors are solely at fault.
Neale Rosanoski, 07 April 2011