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Gibraltar (United Kingdom): House flags of shipping companies

Lucas Imossi Shipping
Smith Imossi & Co. Ltd

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Lucas Imossi Shipping

House flag of Lucas Imossi Shipping - Image by Eugene Ipavec, 29 July 2010

Lucas Imossi Shipping (website), active since just before 1900 and at one time named J. Lucas Imossi and Sons, is currently a shipping and cruise liner agency. A bunkering firm as well, Imossi offers fuel (it used to be coal); further services include crew and supplies transfer, in international waters if need be.

The house flag of Lucas Imossi Shipping (drawing) is yellow with a large black disk. This flag is well known as letter "I" of the International Code of Signals, here presumably for "Imossi".

Jan Mertens, 18 July 2010

Smith Imossi & Co. Ltd

House flag of Smith Imossi & Co. Ltd - Image by Eugene Ipavec, 28 July 2010

Quoting the company website (edited):

In 1837 William James Smith, the son of a Dublin Barrister became an agent for the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company, the precursor to P&O. A few months later he started his own business.
Since its inception in 1837, the company's principal business has been that of shipping agents and, in the days of steam, coal merchants.
In 1859 the founder's son, William Henry Smith, took Francis Imossi into partnership and the company was renamed Smith Imossi & Co., until in 1948 the firm was made into a limited liability company. However since 1859 to the present, the two familes have conducted the firm's business.

Smith Imossi has been a Lloyd's Agent since 1884 and acts for other insurance companies as well. Further services include bunkering, crew changes (two motor launches are operated), cruise liner agencies including tour programmes, and customs clearance. The freighter General Boyd was operated 1891-1899; she may have replaced General Eliott, built 1882 and wrecked in 1891 while carrying coal.
The firm appears to be quite separate from Lucas Imossi Shipping.

The house flag of Smith Imossi & Co. Ltd, shown as a drawing on the company's website, is white with a blue diamond, not touching the edges, with two white initials, no serifs, "SI".

Jan Mertens, 18 July 2010