It was recently announced that
International Shipping Partners Inc (ISP) will join
FleetPro Passenger Ship Management to become purely a
passenger ship management company. While SunStone and ISP
will continue to occupy joint offices located in Miami,
FleetPro has been formed with head office in Zug,
Switzerland, and branch offices in Miami (ISP) and Basel,
Switzerland (River Advice) and commenced operation on
Thursday.
Fleetpro, with interests in both the ocean-going and river vessel markets, is now claimed to the world’s leading independent manager of passenger ships.
FleetPro unites River Advice, with 35 river cruise vessels under its management and 1,250 employees, and ISP, with 20 managed passenger ships, mainly in the luxury expedition sector, and 1,100 shore and ship-based personnel. The merger is supported by a private equity fund managed by Netherlands-based Waterland Private Equity Investments as majority shareholder.
A'Rosa Viva
Waterland already has a majority interest in Rostock-based A’Rosa River Cruises, which it acquired in 2009 when it supported a management buy-out from previous owners Deutsche Seereederei Rostock (DSR). Previous to its own acquisition by Hamburg-based Reederei F Laeisz in 1993, DSR had been the East German state-owned shipping company.
Among others, the River Advice-managed fleet includes ten river cruisers managed for Avalon Waterways plus a number of other river cruisers. On the other hand, the majority of ISP’s ships are in the expedition class, operating on charter to companies such as Quark Expeditions and One Ocean Expeditions, among others.
Rembrant
ISP also manages the river cruiser Rembrandt, on hire to UK-based Noble Caledonia, and its largest managed ship is the 35,855-ton 1,030-berth Bahamas Celebration, operating between West Palm Beach and the Bahamas for Celebration Cruise Line.
FleetPro ceo and Swiss national Robert Straubhaar opened River Advice in 2004 after having been involved with operators such as KD, Viking River Line, Uniworld and Grand Circle, and is joined on the FleetPro board by Danish national Niels-Eric Lund, ceo of ISP, who founded that company in 1988 after several years with Scandinavian World Cruises.
With more than 50 passenger ships now under management, FleetPro’s activities will be of interest to many owners, operators and charterers of river and ocean-going cruise vessels.
Waterland Private Equity’s involvement in FleetPro follows the September acquisition of French small ship owner and operator Compagnie du Ponant by London-based Bridgestone Capital. Another equity house, Apollo Management LP, owns Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent company of Oceania Cruises (acquired in April 2007) and Regent Seven Seas (February 2008), as well as a half interest in Norwegian Cruise Line, which it acquired from co-owner Genting Group in January 2008.
Fleetpro, with interests in both the ocean-going and river vessel markets, is now claimed to the world’s leading independent manager of passenger ships.
FleetPro unites River Advice, with 35 river cruise vessels under its management and 1,250 employees, and ISP, with 20 managed passenger ships, mainly in the luxury expedition sector, and 1,100 shore and ship-based personnel. The merger is supported by a private equity fund managed by Netherlands-based Waterland Private Equity Investments as majority shareholder.
A'Rosa Viva
Waterland already has a majority interest in Rostock-based A’Rosa River Cruises, which it acquired in 2009 when it supported a management buy-out from previous owners Deutsche Seereederei Rostock (DSR). Previous to its own acquisition by Hamburg-based Reederei F Laeisz in 1993, DSR had been the East German state-owned shipping company.
Among others, the River Advice-managed fleet includes ten river cruisers managed for Avalon Waterways plus a number of other river cruisers. On the other hand, the majority of ISP’s ships are in the expedition class, operating on charter to companies such as Quark Expeditions and One Ocean Expeditions, among others.
Rembrant
ISP also manages the river cruiser Rembrandt, on hire to UK-based Noble Caledonia, and its largest managed ship is the 35,855-ton 1,030-berth Bahamas Celebration, operating between West Palm Beach and the Bahamas for Celebration Cruise Line.
FleetPro ceo and Swiss national Robert Straubhaar opened River Advice in 2004 after having been involved with operators such as KD, Viking River Line, Uniworld and Grand Circle, and is joined on the FleetPro board by Danish national Niels-Eric Lund, ceo of ISP, who founded that company in 1988 after several years with Scandinavian World Cruises.
With more than 50 passenger ships now under management, FleetPro’s activities will be of interest to many owners, operators and charterers of river and ocean-going cruise vessels.
Waterland Private Equity’s involvement in FleetPro follows the September acquisition of French small ship owner and operator Compagnie du Ponant by London-based Bridgestone Capital. Another equity house, Apollo Management LP, owns Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent company of Oceania Cruises (acquired in April 2007) and Regent Seven Seas (February 2008), as well as a half interest in Norwegian Cruise Line, which it acquired from co-owner Genting Group in January 2008.
