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Our History

About Our History
12/9 2005

1990 - 2004 Foundation and First Steps

Horizon Shipping was founded in 1990 by Mr. Ernesto Garcia and partners and initiated operations in Vancouver, Canada. In 1994, Mr. Garcia acquired sole ownership of the company and moved the operations from Vancouver to Miami, Florida. By 1995, Horizon Shipping started to develop the mineral concentrates Expo market in WCSA initially focusing on the parceling trade from Peru to Mediterranean ports. Slowly but steadily Horizon developed a close customer base with traders and miners within the West Coast market becoming an important and reliable operator within the WCSA. The cargo focus has always remained within the mining sector by shipping mineral concentrates and metals, the initial operation from Peruvian ports was later expanded to the service from Chilean ports. The trade lanes include the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and furthermore Northern European ports as well as ports within the Gulf of the United States. The estimated volume during this period was approximately 1.0 million tons per year, performed with approximate 40-50 T/C handy-sized vessels. Historically, Horizon Shipping have maintained a well-balanced and diversified cargo portfolio between cargoes under COA with long term customers paired with suitable spot and market cargoes within the daily arbitrage activities.

11/12 2005

2004 - 2009 New Partner and Consolidation

In 2004, (Ultranav) became partners at Horizon Shipping, giving the company the additional strength and commercial synergies necessary to transform Horizon Shipping from an important operator within the WCSA, to an even stronger and dedicated WCSA player spanning global trade lanes. The Operational and Commercial office is centralized in Miami, Florida through its exclusive general agent, Lot Ocean Transport, Inc.

In addition to its traditional trades to Europe, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the United States Gulf, in 2009 the Company started to build on their platform through further diversification with stronger focus on cargoes within the Pacific basin to destinations in the Far East and India. Horizon Shipping has become now the preeminent ship operator of WCSA for raw materials within the mining sector providing customers with a frequent, reliable and flexible service which goes far beyond Ocean Transportation.

 

 

12/9 2005

2009 - 2019   Preeminent WCSA Player

The estimated volume  increased from 1.5 million shipped in 2009 to about 6 million tons per year, performed with approximate 100-150 T/C fixtures per year with Handy-, Supra- and Ultramax vessels. The business model continues to be of the same characteristics with a strong dedication towards the customers within the WCSA region.

In 2019, Ultranav fully acquired Horizon Shipping, becoming the sole owner of the company. Because of Ultranavs broad diversification, it continues to strengthen its position in Chile and Latin America, reaching a Global level through different trades and segments. The company is today led by Dag von Appen as Chairman of the Ultranav Advisory Board and CEO.