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Sohtorik Shipping & Trading Inc. (Shipping company, Turkey)

Last modified: 2020-05-31 by ivan sache
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House flag of Sohtorik Shipping & Trading - Image by Jarig Bakker, 22 November 2005


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Presentation of Sohtorik Shipping & Trading

The documented history of the Sohtorik family in the shipping business dates back to the 1830-1840s. The activities of the family in shipping prior to this date are unknown due to the lack of written documentation. The last generation currently active in the business is the 6th generation. In the years 1850-1870, Osman Sohtorik was shipping bulk salt and bulk sugar in the Black Sea from ports of Russia and Georgia to Trabzon and Rize, two major ports in the Northeast of Turkey, with his 40-50dwt wooden sailing ship. The same type of coastal Black Sea shipping was continued by the 2nd generation of the family.
Shipping with steel, engine powered ships was first conducted by the 3rd generation in the business, namely Hüseyin Avni Sohtorik, the grandson of Osman Sohtorik. Born in 1887, Hüseyin Avni Sohtorik worked as a captain in other ships until late 1920s, and purchased his first steel ship S/S İstikbal (1890 Glasgow, 3050 dwt) in 1929 and began open sea ship management. Later in 1933, he purchased the S/S Altay (1901 England, 5043 dwt) and these ships carried cargo between various ports in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. In about 1935, Ali Sohtorik became the manager of the business due to the health issues of his father, and purchased the S/S Semih (1919 England, 5150 dwt) in 1949, the S/S Selim (1919 Japan, 6555dwt) in 1952 and the S/S İstikbal (1949 England, 9070d wt) in 1962. These ships were fixed to Mediterranean ports, continental ports like Northern French ports, Antwerp and Rotterdam, and even Brazilian ports until the mid 1970s.

Selim Sohtorik, the 5th generation in the business, joined the management in 1972, and the management was modernized from then onward. In 1976, Sohtorik Denizcilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. (Sohtorik Shipping and Trading Inc.; website) was founded and the business switched to worldwide trading. The first vessel that belonged to this firm, M/V Norse Transporter (1966 Norway, 25000 dwt), was purchased in 1977. The vessel was fixed as time charter to the Norwegian company Odd Godager for a period of 5 years and was used in the transportation of grain and cars between Japan and USA. In 1981, M/V Med Transporter (1973 Japan, 22000 dwt) was purchased.
In 1986, M/V Manyas 1 (1976 Japan, 28000 dwt), and in 1989, M/V Sapanca (1975 Korea, 19000 dwt) and M/V Eber (1978 Japan, 19000 dwt) were purchased. Later in 1993, M/V Düden (1981 Japan, 27000 dwt) was purchased.
Ali Sohtorik and Cem Sohtorik, the 6th generation has joined the company management in the years of 2000. Their intention is to continue and develop the traditional family business.

Ivan Sache, 26 November 2005


Flag of Sohtorik Shipping & Trading

Thee house flag of Sohtorik Shipping & Trading is red with a blue serifed letter H.
[Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World (1995) [lgr95]]

Jarig Bakker, 22 November 2005