We have been a leading innovator in shipping since the early 1960ies. We have paved way for more efficient and more sustainable shipping for over 50 years. But our story started in 1884.
After working as a captain on The Norwegian North Sea Expedition and living at sea for 13 years, Joachim Grieg founded a ship brokerage company in Bergen. When people used wooden sailing ships for transportation, Joachim Grieg became one of the first modern shipbrokers in Norway, as he invested strongly in steamships.
Per Waaler established AS Star Shipping on the 24th of November 1959, but the company was not formally registered until the 11th of April, 1961.
In November 1962 the Star Pool came into effect, formalised on the 5th of February 1963. Star Shipping and Westfal-Larsen & co agreed to make vessels available for a joint shipping operation.
Star Shipping’s first subsidiary was established in Sydney, Australia in 1963. The year after an office was established in New York, and in 1966 in Vancouver. Our global presence started.
Star Bulk Shipping Company was formed on the 18th of September, with Westfal-Larsen & co and Star Shipping as equal owners. Per Waaler turned his ship-owning company into a partnership with among others Per Grieg and changed the name to “Billabong”.
The first ships were equipped with gantry cranes to secure more accurate stowage and larger output per hour. The gantry cranes stayed on as preferred cranes on the Star vessels until the L-class was acquired in 2012. The same year we ordered three Open Hatch vessels, the first in the Star system. Since then, the Open Hatch vessels have been the backbone of the Star fleet.
To reflect that Star had advanced from being a bulk transporter, the name of the company changed to Star Shipping. At the same time, a common identity was approved, giving all the vessels Star names and yellow funnels with the star flag. That naming tradition is still with us.
The last of the first generation owners and gründers retired in 2001. At an age of 70, Per Grieg left his place on the board to his daughter Camilla Grieg.
The Star organisation and business were divided between the owners. Grieg continued to operate a slimmer Star Shipping, while Masterbulk sat up their own organisation. Star Shipping was integrated as a part of Grieg Star, moving its headquarters to Grieg Gaarden in Bergen, with Camilla Grieg as CEO and Elisabeth Grieg as Chair of the Board.
Grieg Star established Grieg Green, a company focussing on sustainable recycling of ships, later on also rig recycling and IHM.
Grieg Star entered into a new pool, this time with long time competitor Gearbulk. The intentions were announced in the fall of 2016, and on the 1st of May 2017, the joint venture was established: G2 Ocean, the world’s biggest Open Hatch company.
Camilla Grieg retired as CEO and replaced Elisabeth Grieg as Chair of the Board. The new CEO was Matthew Duke.
Grieg Star established a new company to strengthen innovation. Grieg Edge aims to identify and develop new business opportunities within shipping and related maritime segments – always with sustainability as a requirement.
After several years of incremental changes and new subsidiaries, Grieg Star Group adopted a new name to mirror the development. From the 1st of January, the group is called “Grieg Maritime Group”.
