Two sons of the founder of Hansa-Linie, Oltmann Johan Dietrich Ahlers from Bremen, Germany, started a shipping agency in the Port of Antwerp (Belgium) at the beginning of the XXth century. The World Wars obliged Ahlers to interrupt its activities.

The group expanded into other shipping activities in the 60's under the leadership of Andre Leysen. The German group Stinnes (Veba) became shareholder in the 70's. In the 80's the group set up activities outside Belgium, and became again a privately owned company (by the founders family) in the 90's.

Hansa

1881, Oltmann Johan Dietrich Ahlers founded together with other merchants of Bremen the shipping company "Deutsche Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft HANSA". Till his death in 1910 he governed the "HANSA". Under his leadership the company became one of the biggest shipping organisations of its time. He sent his son Heinrich in 1909 to Antwerp, amongst the most expanding of the European ports, to become a partner in the local Hansa-agency. His other son Herwig should join after a traineeship in London.

Turbulent times

The first World War interrupted these plans. The company had to close down, whilst Herwig was interned in England.

Herwig Ahlers (1937)

After the war, the Hansa quickly restarted the shipping lines to India and subsequently to the Persian Gulf. In the early 20's, a shipping agency in Antwerp was restarted, which took in 1925 the name of "Bureau Maritime H.D. Ahlers". Again both Ahlers brothers were partners. The company handled very important tonnages, inbound as well as outbound.

In the 30's, the reputation of the company attracted more shipowners who entrusted their agency to the company and so Ahlers became one of Antwerp's leading shipping agencies

When the Second World War broke out, the two brothers decided to close down the company, being both German citizens. A limited activity of Rhine navigation was continued. At the end of the war Herwig Ahlers (Heinrich died in 1943) operated from Duisburg. In 1950 the restart of Hansa as a shipping line in Germany allowed the taking up of an agency activity in Antwerp.

In 1952 the company name was changed into "Bureau Maritime H.G. Ahlers" and Andre Leysen, a son-in-law of Herwig Ahlers, joined the company.