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Kerr Steamship Company
Industry Maritime transport
Founded1920
FounderH. Farquharson Kerr
FateSold in 1994
Successor Norton Lilly International
Headquarters New York City
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
A.E. Clegg
Servicespassenger and cargo liners

Kerr Steamship Company, Kerr Company, ran passenger and cargo ships from New York City the Dutch East Indies, Ceylon, Egypt and other ports. Kerr Company was founded in 1916, and was sold to Norton Lilly International in 1994 after a Kerr-Norton joint venture that started in 1981. [1] In the 1920s Kerr Steamship Company was the largest steamship company in the United States. Kerr Steamship Company served during World War I taking supplies to the War. Kerr Steamship Company opened an office at 7 Rue Scribe, Paris and ran dock's at Bordeaux. Later, Kerr Steamship Company opened operations in Marseilles, Chicago, and New Orleans to support the war effort. In the “K” Line shipping system, the Kerr Steamship Company shipped most and sometimes all the cargo in Atlantic Ocean, "K" Line-Kerr Corporation. [2] In 1994 Kerr Company was the sub-agent for United Arab Shipping Company, and is an agent for Torm West Africa Line, Alliance Navigation, Compagnie Generale Maritime, and Compania Chilena de Navegacion Interoceanica. Kerr was the sub-agent in the South Atlantic region for the "K" Line America. [3] [4] [5]


Early steamship

Kerowlee in port in 1919, possibly at Danzig (now Gdańsk)

Early Kerr steamships: [1]


World War II

Kerr-Silver line

  • Bowness Park [7]
  • Mohawk Park [7]
  • Fort St. Antoine [8]
  • Fort Dearborn [9]


  • Tanker:
  • Andrew Dillion (1950s)

Kerr-Silver Services

  • Kerr-Silver Services 1920-1930's ships: [10]
  • Silversandal
  • Silverteak
  • Silvercypress
  • Silveryew
  • Silverwalnut
  • Silverpalm
  • Silverwillow
  • Silvermaple
  • Silveroak
  • Silverelm
  • Silverguava
  • Silverbelle
  • Silverash
  • Silverbeech
  • Silverhazel
  • Silverlarch
  • Silverpine
  • Silvercypress
  • Silversandal
  • Silverteak
  • Silverwalnut
  • Silveryew


  • Prince Line services: 1930's ships, working with Stanley & John Thompson of the United Kingdom (later merged with Java Pacific) : [10]
  • Chinese Prince
  • Cingalese Prince
  • Javanese Prince
  • Malayan Prince
  • Siamese Prince

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "H. Farquharson Kerr". MarineLink.
  2. ^ "'K' Line, Kerr reorganize to accommodate growth separation to benefit both companies". www.joc.com.
  3. ^ "New York's Hidden Remnants of the Golden Age of Steamships". August 10, 2017.
  4. ^ Kerr Steamship Company: A Brief History 1916-1981, January 1, 1981
  5. ^ "Biggest US steamship agency formed lerger unites Norton Lilly, Kerr". www.joc.com.
  6. ^ "SS Rochester (+1917)". Wrecksite.
  7. ^ a b "Park A". www.mariners-l.co.uk.[ dead link]
  8. ^ "Fort K". www.mariners-l.co.uk.[ dead link]
  9. ^ "Header1". www.mariners-l.co.uk.[ dead link]
  10. ^ a b "Silver Line". marine timetable images.