House flag, London & Overseas Freighters Ltd

The House flag of London & Overseas Freighters Ltd, London. A pennant divided horizontally into white over blue with a red five-pointed star in the centre. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached.

Founded by members of a Greek family who had long been involved with the shipping industry. The Kulukundis family set up a shipping agency in London called Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd in 1920. In 1936 the firm moved into ship owning. In 1940, three of the brothers - Manuel, George and Michael transferred their activities to New York, while John Kulukundis and a cousin Basil Mavroleon remained in London to run their ships under the control of the Ministry of War Transport.

After the war they recommenced business operations and moved into tramp tanker owning. London & Overseas Freighters Ltd was incorporated in 1948 taking over the vessels of three family-owned firms- the Putney Steamships Co Ltd, the Tower Steamship Co Ltd and the Dorset Steamship Co Ltd. These were all dry cargo carriers. It was decided to use the prefix 'London' in the names of the company ships and to display the coat of arms of the city on their bridges. The first of the new tankers was completed in 1950. The firm became a public company in 1951.

In the early 60's LOF was operating new dry cargo ships, tankers and ore carriers but the company profits were hit by the US blockade of Cuba. In the late 1960's they moved into very large crude carriers and acquired a shipbuilding firm –Bartram & Sons Ltd (they also owned an interest in Austin & Pickersgill Ltd). During the 1970's a rise in the price of crude oil and the nationalisation of the shipbuilding industry hit profits.

Things improved at the end of the 1980's with a reduction in worldwide shipping tonnage and a drop in the price of oil. In 1992, the company moved to Bermuda to minimise its tax payments. In 1997 it sold its Panamax tanker fleet and merged with the Norwegian shipping group, Frontline.

Object Details

ID: AAA0295
Collection: Textiles; Flags
Type: House flag
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: 1955-1967; 1955-67
People: London & Overseas Freighters Ltd; Pope, Charles Meredyth
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Pope Collection. We regret that Museum enquiries have not been able to identify the copyright owner of the flag's emblem and would welcome any information that would help us update our records. Please contact the Picture Library.
Measurements: flag: 1219.2 x 2413 mm
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