Borchard Lines Ltd

2010
Article on Borchard Lines Ltd "Niche box lines teach deepsea carriers how to make money in a downturn" appears in Lloyds List, 5th January 2010. Download the PDF version here.	Page 1		Page 2

2008
Borchard Lines Ltd celebrates its 75th anniversary.
The following article appeared in a Lloyds List.
“Economic turmoil is nothing new for Borchard Lines, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, writes Janet Porter. The small London-headquartered container line has worked on through financial collapses, wars and many other crises since it began operating shipping services from Budapest to the Eastern Mediterranean in 1933 with a pair of 2,000 dwt ships. Each situation requires a different response, but Borchard Lines believes survival depends on “caution, flexibility and above all reputation”. The family business has never sought publicity, but relies on providing a premier personal service that will ensure strong customer loyalty.
Borchard Lines was one of the first to use ocean-going vessels rather than barges on the Danube, and so dispense with the need to tranship cargo from sea to river transport. These days, it operates a fleet of 15 chartered ships, all built within the past six years and ranging in size from 724 teu to 900 teu, which are deployed on services between northern Europe and the Mediterranean, and intra-Mediterranean routes.
The line handles around 250,000 teu a year and has never had any ambition to follow in the footsteps of some other Mediterranean specialists by diversifying into the global trades. Instead, Borchard Lines prefers to follow the philosophy of low profile niche carriers such as transatlantic operator Independent Container Line and focus on just one market sector. Director Richard Borchard believes that is the best way to provide operational excellence, schedule reliability and stable prices. “This is big enough for us” he says of Borchard Lines, which first opened a London office in 1938 and is one of the few shipping companies still based in the capital. If the line decided to expand, that would almost certainly mean some form of partnership arrangement on other routes. Borchard Lines prefers to maintain its independence and concentrate on what it knows best. “For as long as the market is willing to support small first class lines, and clients look at their overall risk and logistics costings there will be a future for dedicated niche operators”, says Borchard Lines.

April 2008
Please note that as of 31st March 2008, our new address is 10 Chiswell Street, London EC1Y 4XY.
Telephone, Fax and Email remains the same.

September 2007
Borchard Lines Ltd continues its upgrade of its Mediterranean services now offering six cellular container ships all with speeds of up to 18 knots further improving reliablity and capacity across the three services.
Starting from the beginning of September the West Mediterranean service wil also offer a direct service to Limassol from Barcelona, Marseilles, Genoa and Salerno with transit times from 3 days.
In response to market demands, changes are also being made to vessels trading on the North European and Gracechurch services, which will result in increased capacity whilst maintaining the frequency and reliability for which the services are known. The first stage of this process began on 06/09/07 with the delivery on to the North European service of the newbuild, m/v Joanna Borchard (ex Max Linus Dede) built at the Sietas Yard, Germany.

December 2006
The newbuild, m/v Lucy Borchard the last of four sister vessels being delivered from the Hegemann yard, is Christened at a naming ceremony in Berne Germany.
Starting from 10/12/06 the Bosphorus service will again be providing a direct service between Barcelona and the ports of Piraeus, Istanbul and Izmir with a 5 day transit time from Izmir to Barcelona.
As from 04/12/06 The Adriatic service is upgraded and now served by a pair of 18 knot, 400TEU @ 14T vessels providing increased capacity and service dependability.

October 2006
The newbuild, m/v Gracechurch Sun is delivered from the Cassens yard, Germany continuing the program of expansion for the Borchard Lines Mediterranean services

August 2006
The newbuild, m/v Ruth Borchard is delivered at Rotterdam from the Hegemann yard, Berne Germany, further increasing the capacity that the Borchard Lines can offer to their customers.

June 2006
From 21/06/06 the Gracechurch service will be calling Castellon on the east coast of Spain, near to Valencia, opening a new route from Spain to the East Mediterranean with transit times of 4 days to Piraeus and 7 days to Israel.
The newbuild, m/v Rachel Borchard is delivered at Rotterdam from the Hegemann yard, Berne Germany providing a pair of versatile sister vessels to the North Europe service.

April 2006
The newbuild, m/v Katherine Borchard is delivered at Rotterdam from the Hegemann yard, Berne Germany.

February 2006
m/v Susan Borchard, built in 2004 joins the Borchard Lines services as part of the commitment to employ larger, faster and more modern vessels.