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House Flags of German Shipping Companies (m)

Other "M" companies:

See also:

MACS Maritime Carrier

image by Jarig Bakker, 27 Nov 2005

MACS Maritime Carrier A.G., Altendorf - blue flag, white "MaCS".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 27 Nov 2005

Joh. Marbs

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 Mar 2007

Joh.Marbs - The company used a quarterly divided flag white (with a red serifed "M"), red, blue and yellow.
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; inside cover.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 Mar 2007

MarConsult Schiffahrt

image by Jarig Bakker, 13 Nov 2003

Here is the website of MarConsult Schiffahrt (GmbH & Co.) KG - houseflag: blue with white diamond with red letters MC.
Dov Gutterman, 2 Nov 2003

MarConsult Schiffahrt GmbH & Co. KG is a German maritime consultancy and ship management company founded in 1986. According the firm’s website (see
‘Company’): 19 container vessels are managed and controlled or chartered. Base of operations is Hamburg; all ships are registered in Antigua and Barbuda with one exception, sailing under the German flag.
Jan Mertens, 5 Mar 2006

Maritime Services Aleuropa

image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Oct 2005

Maritime Services Aleuropa, G.m.b.h., Hamburg - white over green flag; on white red disk; on green the firm's name in full and black.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 23 Oct 2005

Marker

$[Schiffahrts und Befrachtungs Kontor Marker GmbH (Shipping Company, Germany)]$ image by Thanh Tâm Leh

Schiffahrts und Befrachtungs Kontor Marker GmbH - White with two narrow, yellow, horizontal stripes running near the top and the bottom of the flag and a blue 'M' shifted to the hoist. The base of the 'M' extends to the hoist and to the fly, thus forming another horizontal stripe.
Jorge Candeias, 10 Mar 1999

As the longer name says, this is a shipping and freighting office. Homepage (English version) with waving flag: Quote from the introduction: "We are a private company with a background of about 30 years experience in inland shipping. We take over, carry out and arrange inland navigation transports (dry goods) on European inland waterways, all usual services included."

Fed up with looking for acceptable inland navigation software, the company developed its own!
Märker offers various house flags for sale here (click relevant images): ship flag 100 x 150 cm, 17.90 €; jack 40 x 60 cm, 10,20 €; table flag 15 x 25 cm 3.55 €; flag pin 2.30 €.

The site's German version presents interesting press information. We learn that the firm was founded on 22 Aug 1972 (owned and led by Erika Märker after the death of husband Heiko Märker, 1987) and offers yearly contracts to about five or six private bargemen who are mostly active in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium; about a dozen additional ships are under freight contract.

A note in the Dutch `Schuttevaer' weekly (Sat. 1 Sep 2007) announced Märker's takeover by Neukirch, another Bremen transportation and logistics firm. This (and some flag-related things) will be the subject of part 2.
Jan Mertens, 15 Sep 2007

Märkische Transportgesellschaft

image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Nov 2006

Here is the house flag of the Märkische Transportgesellschaft (seat: Berlin). The name essentially means “Brandenburg Transport Company”. The firm’s
website shows the flag: a horizontal tricolour of white-red-white, a large black initial ‘M’ over all.
The site has a number of tiny photos of barges flying the flag and the M seems to be upright whereas in the picture it should be leaning to the left.

I’ve seen an advertisement showing this very flag in a “calm” (non-waving) position with the ‘M’ really upright, only its left diagonal segment and right leg drawn much thicker (about half the width of a horizontal stripe). Lower serifs as on the attached picture, but the higher ones only pointing outwards; height of letter about 2/3 of flag height, making it larger than in the attachment.

According to the site, the Märkische Transportgesellschaft mbH was the first (inland) shipping company established in the former GDR, the foundation date
being 1 August 1990. Starting out with 38 former private shippers, the firm now employs 50 of them and operates 10 push barges and other craft. At first a local
concern, the Märkische Transportgesellschaft is now active in the area between the Oder and the Atlantic, transporting bulk, liquids, containers, special cargo, and so forth. Lastly, the firm is one of the many subsidiaries of the Imperial Reederei-Gruppe, Duisburg, active in several countries.
Jan Mertens, 29 Jan 2006

Mathies Reederei

image by Jarig Bakker, 15 Sep 2005

Mathies Reederei, Hamburg - red flag, white diamond, black "M".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 15 Sep 2005

L.F.Mathies & Co.

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

L.F.Mathies & Co. - This company used a green flag with a white diamond touching the edges with a red serifed capital "M".
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; cover inside.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

C.M-Matzen

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

C.M-Matzen - Christian Michael Matzen was seman and captain and led his first own ship as captain in 1867. He finally owned 18 ships but when he died in 1904 the company was dissolved and three of the five remained ships were sold to August Bolten, one to Knöhr und Burchard Nachfolger and one to Norway. The company used a red flag with a white diamond with a blue serifed capital "M".
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; p.113ff.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

Medorient Shipping Lines

image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Nov 2005

Medorient Shipping Lines GmbH., Hamburg - blue flag, white disk, black "M".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 23 Nov 2005

Meerpahl & Meyer

image by Jarig Bakker, 13 Nov 2003

Here is the website of Meerpahl & Meyer GmbH - houseflag: red with white diamond with the company-logo.
Dov Gutterman, 2 Nov 2003

Memeler Dampfsch.-AG

image by Jorge Candeias, 21 Dec 2004

The flag is green with a white saltire and 4 white letters in the 4 quarters defined by the cross: M, D, A and G. The caption reads something similar to Memeler Dpf. A. G.
Jorge Candeias, 21 Dec 2004

A slightly longer name I could find was "Memeler Dampfsch.-AG" and so it is as yet unclear whether they meant steamship(s), or steamship company.
Jan Mertens, 23 Dec 2004

Helmuth Mentz, Rostock

image by Ivan Sache, 14 Jan 2004

Following the link found by Joe Mc Millan - The Mystic Seaport Foundation, we can reach the 1911 Lloyd's flagbook, whose full title is (after the scan of the cover): 'Lloyd's book of house flags and funnels of the principal steamship lines of the world and the house flags of various lines of sailing vessels', published at Lloyd's Royal Exchange. London. E.C.
On p. 133, we have: #2039. Helmuth Mentz, Rostock. The flag is blue with a white border and HM and R (black with a white shadow), on two rows.
Ivan Sache, 14 Jan 2004

Menzell & Co.

image by Jorge Candeias, 23 May 2004

This one is blue with a white triangle and a red M inside the triangle. The caption is quite readable: Menzell & Co.
Jorge Candeias, 23 May 2004

See this page from a very useful European Shipping Company site, lists a Menzell & Co Schiffsmakler - and their homepage.
James Dignan, 24 May 2004

Ernst Menzer-Werft

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 29 Sep 2007

Ernst Menzer-Werft, Geesthacht
The red (hoist and fly) and white(top and bottom) flag is divided by saltire. In the red parts are black serifed white-shaded capital letters "E"(hoist) and "M"(fly). I the centre of flag is a slightly modified or older coat of arms of the city of Geesthacht (Herzogtum Lauenburg county, Schleswig-Holstein. Ernst Menzer ran a dockyard there.
Source: I spotted this flag on 28 May 2004 in a pub in St.Pauli. The flag was identified with the help of Josef Nuesse, Drochtersen on 25 September 2007.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 29 Sep 2007

Gebr. Meyer

image by Jarig Bakker, 16 Apr 2007

‘Gebr. Meyer Bauunternehmung GmbH & Co.’, Cologne (i.e. Meyer Brothers Construction Company, Ltd).
Houseflag: Divided per saltire white (left and right fields) and green (upper and lower fields), a rather small white disk in the centre bearing a black initial ‘M’ (no serifs).
As “Ausbau des Rheins” lists these firms, detailing who did or was doing what and where, we learn that Gebr. Meyer were busy deepening the Rhine at the Nackenheimer Schwelle i.e. removing underwater rocks, dredging, and reinforcing river banks near Mainz, 1972-74.
Additionnally, river breakwaters were built near Rüdesheim in 1976, the famous Binger Loch and immediate surroundings having already been dredged, rock removed, etc. 1966-68 and 1970-75.
Gebr. Meyer cooperated with other specialized firms some of which we know e.g. W. de Beijer (NL).
On p. 20 the brochure shows a large flagoid painted on the side of drilling vessel ‘Mittelrhein’ but p. 23 shows an actual flag flying on a bucket dredge on the Lower Rhine. That is one advantage of being nearsighted – the flag on the photo measures only 1 by 2 mm but is recognizable!
One snippet of information found on the ‘net leads me to believe Gebr. Meyer was founded in or around 1879.
Jan Mertens, 16 Apr 2007

Karl Meyer

image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Dec 2005

Karl Meyer, Wischhafen - white flag, stylized green "M", pierced by a double-pointed red arrow.
(Wischhafen is NW of Hamburg in Niedersachsen, along the Elbe)
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 17 Dec 2005

Louis Meyer

image by Jarig Bakker, 21 Sep 2005

Neue Schleppdampf Schiffahrts Reederei Louis Meyer, Hamburg - blue flag, white cross
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 21 Sep 2005

Meyrose

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Feb 2007

Meyrose - Meyrose is a salvaging-, freight- and logistics company in Hamburg.
The flag is a blue over red horizontal bicolour with a white diamond with a black capital "M" in its centre.(spotted at 28 May 2004 in Hamburg).
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Feb 2007

Midgard

image by Jorge Candeias, 14 Mar 1999

Midgard AG & Co. KG - Divided per saltire, white on top and bottom and blue at hoist and fly, with a white oval in the centre, bordered blue and charged with a blue snake (with a huge head, and an even bigger eye, in relative terms).
Jorge Candeias, 14 Mar 1999

Midgard snake (Midhgardhsormr) keeps the world in place by clasping it into its rings. When the snake relaxes, a generalized flood shall occur and the world shall disappear during the so-called Ragnarok - Fate-of-the-Powers, very often mispelled Ragnarokr, Twilight-of-the-Powers -Midgard snake is compared to Yggdrasill, the ash tree which supports the world with its branches. When Yggdrasill collapses, the world shall disappear. Source: Encyclopaedia Universalis.
Ivan Sache, 19 Sep 2001

The company name is Rhenus Midgard A.G. & Co. K.G. They were formed in 1905 as Midgard Deutsche Seeverkehrs A.G. and at some point after the mid 1990s the company, who are now described as port operators, seem to have been taken over by Rhenus A.G. & Co.
Neale Rosanoski, 18 Oct 2004

Klaus Mimietz

image by Jarig Bakker, 19 Jan 2006

Klaus Mimietz, Rendsburg - horizontal BWR flag, in center white shield bordered black, red "M".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 19 Jan 2006

Robert Müller

image by Eugene Ipavec, 2 Apr 2006

‘Robert Müller Schiffahrt (GmbH & Co.) KG’, part of the Robert Müller Firmengruppe (group of companies) has an interesting history which starts, very modestly, in 1911. History and background are found here (English version not yet ready).
Founded in 1911 by Robert Müller, a Hamburg-based shipping agent who also operated an Elbe barge inherited from his father. From 1919 on he had his own firm selling stone for road and waterway construction, followed by salt trade in 1922. Inland navigation started with one vessel in 1927 and the first sea-going ship joined the fleet in 1936. Three years later, Robert Müller died.
As could be expected, WWII caused heavy damage: ships and warehouses were lost and some vessels, barges as well as ships, were handed over to the Soviet Union as war compensation. In all, merely two barges remained.
A new start led to building of more sea-going ships which started in 1951; in 1954 a separate firm was established to take care of shipping matters. All vessels were sold in 1961 but the next year new barges on modern lines were launched. The ‘eighties saw further expansion on the logistics side. Various company splittings were followed in 2000 by the merger of the group's shipping and logistics interests known as ‘Reederei und Handelsgesellschaft Robert Müller (GmbH & Co.)’ only to be demerged again in 2003 into three entities ‘Schiffahrt’ (shipping), ‘Logistik’ (logistics) and ‘Handel’ (commerce).
The house flag is found on the company site: quarterly divided red (upper and lower triangles) and white (left and right triangles), a green disk bearing a white initial ‘M’ is placed in the centre.
Jan Mertens, 1 Apr 2006

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