The Largest Fleet

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Within ten years Jan Wijsmuller had build 19 oceangoing tugs and 26 seagoing/coastal tugs. In addition, at that time, there were13 cargo vessels ranging in size from 450 to 3.600 tons gross - although this kind of shipowning was eventually discontinued. The name of Wijsmuller and his successes were enough collateral for the banks to lend money for new tugs to build, and soon Wijsmuller had the largest privately-owned ocean towing fleet in the world. Towage was the mainstay of the expanding business, so much so that two Dutch competitors decided to merge in order to survive. The immediate postwar period was one of great activity for Jan Wijsmuller. 

Activities in 1915
Towage:

Dredger 'SHANGHAI'                                Makassar                          -Shanghai
Caol transporter 'N.I.S.H.M.No.1'  
          Amsterdam                       -Batavia
Caol transporter 'N.I.S.H.M.No.2'
           Rotterdam                         -Batavia
Barque 'NEST'                                           Soemenap                         -Batavia
Barque 'ALBERTINA BEATRICE'        Tandjung Priok                -Soemenap
Barque 'JOHN DAVIE'                            Soemenap                          -Cheribon
Barque 'NEST'                                          Tandjung Priok                 -Boender
Barque 'BARENDINA OSIRIA' and
'ALBERTINA BEATRICE'                     Soemenap                          -Tandjung Priok
Barque 'JOHN DAVIE'                            Cheribon                           -Boender
Barque 'NEST' with two caol
transporters                                                Boender                             -Batavia
Dredger 'HERCULES'                              Honolulu                          -Wladiwostock
Dump barges 'B.W. No. 1 and 2'              Dordrecht                          -Archangel
Dump barges 'B.W. No. 3 and 4'              Amsterdam                        -Archangel
Dump barges 'B.W. No. 5 and 6'              Amsterdam                        -Archangel
Tugs 'No. 157, 158 and 159'                     Rotterdam                         -Genoa
Two coal transporters and one
waerboat                                                    Genoa                                -Dakar
Tank lighter 'DRENTE'                           IJmuiden                           -Tricomalee
Dredger 'FIBRONIA'                               Rotterdam                          -Port Pirie
Dredger 'KAWI NO.1'                              Rotterdam                           -Batavia
Dredger 'KAWI NO.2'                              Rotterdam                           -Batavia
Dredger 'ING. Sacharow                         Haarlem                              -Odessa
Dredger 'ULYSSES'                                 Amsterdam                         -Panama City
Dredger 'DIOMEDES'                             IJmuiden                            -Wladiwostock                                      

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The steam tug "Zeeland" (I) built 1915, 292tons gross, 750 hp. Sold in1930 to
Société Provençale de Remorquage, Algiers, renamed "Michel Venture" and in
1941 to the Italian Navy and renamed "Valento"

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The steam tug "Utrecht"(I) built 1916, 293 gross tons, 750 hp. This tug was sold in
1918 to the French Navy, sunk by the attack of an German 'U'-boat on 18th march 1918
20 miles north-west of Cap Tigani

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The "Utrecht"towing a dredger from Rotterdam to Dakar in 1918

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"Gelderland"(I), built1918, 282 gross tons, 750 hp. Sold in 1919 to Le Havre, 1926 to Aberdeen;
1927 to Middlesborough and in 1948 to Indonesia

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"Simson"(I) bought in 1919, ex "Gebr. BodewesVIII"(G.& H. Bodewes, Martenshoek,1917-1918)
ex "Eva" (Jac. Pierrot, Rotterdam 1918-1919) in 1922 sold to P. Smit Jr., Rotterdam, recalled "Afrika"

In 1918 the Company was strong enough to buy out the liquidated Amsterdam Tug & Salvage Co.,the oldest Dutch towage firm, which in 1814 had owned the wooden paddle tugs "Noord Holland" and "Stad Amsterdam". Salvage stations were opened in IJmuiden and Den Helder; and in 1921 Wijsmuller even bought himself a shipyard 'Nimmerrust'.

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The steam tug "Cyclop"built in 1898 for the Amsterdam Tug & Salvage Co., Amsterdam

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In 1919, the "Cyclop"was sold to Wijsmuller.

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The "Drente"(II), ex "Titan" of the Amsterdam Tug & Salvage Co., Amsterdam
towing the barque "Lavenin" 1920

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The "Titan"(II) one of the smaller coastal tugs of Wijsmuller, built 1920, 92 gross tons,
350 hp., in 1925 sold to Argentina

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The "Brabant", built 1920,449 gross tons, 950 hp, sold in 1927 to L. Smit & Co's Internat. Sleepdienst,
  renamed "Indus" in 1940 captured by the Germans and sunk  in 1942 near Hook of Holland

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The "Groningen"(I), Built 1921, 389 gross tons, 750 hp, sold in 1933 to Russia

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