Profile

History

»ORION« was originally established as a private limited partnership in Rostock, Germany on April 7th, 1931. In 1939 the company relocated its headquarters to Hamburg, in order to be closer to its major clients and to be present in Germany's shipping centre.

Whereas the company had concentrated on operating vessels purchased on the second-hand market throughout the 1970s and 1980s, from the early 1990s »ORION« got strongly engaged in a substantial newbuilding programme of various bulk carrier series in Japan. Within the last decade »ORION« has contracted in excess of 50 bulker newbuildings mainly with major Japanese shipbuilders for its own account. Only recently »ORION« also ordered new vessels from China for the first time in its history.

Since the company's foundation more than 190 seagoing vessels, mainly general cargo ships, container vessels and bulk carriers have sailed under the »ORION« flag.

Today's Activities

After a mutual split of the company between the Reith brothers as of July 1st, 2005 »ORION« SCHIFFAHRTS-GESELLSCHAFT ceased operations. »ORION« BULKERS is solely headed by Johann-Stephan Reith today. The old team with valuable additions currently consists of about 40 well educated and highly motivated staff ashore and about 700 sea-going personnel. Altogether we operate a very young fleet of 18 large, modern and economic bulk carriers that range in size between 52.346 and 178.076 tons deadweight. The fleet's total deadweight capacity amounts to 1.574.458 tons. The average age of the operating fleet is about 2 years only.

About 7 million tons of cargo were carried in 2010. Traditionally the fleet is employed in the world-wide tramp trade and transports mainly grain, coal, iron ore, fertilizers and all kinds of steel cargoes.

Due to the fact that »ORION« can at any time provide a number of identical sister vessels within each of our three fleet segments, a service orientated flexibility could be established to the benefit of our customers. As a result of our good reputation »ORION« enjoys direct access to and maintains close relationships with numerous first-class international shippers, operators and trading houses.

Our ships are highly professionally managed and maintained explaining our excellent track record under port state control inspections. In consequence the transportation of dry bulk cargoes on »ORION« vessels is safe, reliable, competitive and always of first-class service.

Future Plans

»ORION« is continuously aiming to strengthen its position as leading player in the dry bulk market by taking delivery of our remaining newbuilding programme and through occasional acquisitions of quality tonnage from the second-hand market.

As traditional and privately held company »ORION« is striving to stay independently and to only build up through organic growth with major focus being on the panamax and the handymax segment.