German feeder owners merge ship management activities

Fellow Hamburg-based containership owners Leonhardt & Blumberg and Buss Shipping have agreed to form a new joint ship management venture that will sport a fleet of 55 feeder-size vessels, the firms said in a joint statement.    Hamburg-based containership owners Leonhardt & Blumberg Reederei GmbH & Co. KG and Buss Shipping GmbH & Co. KG have agreed to merge their respective ship management activities, the firms said in a joint statement.
   Under the agreement, the two companies will remain separate entities, but will form a new joint ship management venture that will sport a fleet of 55 feeder-size vessels. The management board of the new Leonhardt & Blumberg Shipmanagement GmbH Co. KG will consist of Christian Rychly, Torben Kölln and Mathias Gaethje.
   Leonhardt & Blumberg operates a fleet of containerships ranging in capacity from 1,500 TEUs to 3,600 TEUs, and Buss Shipping’s fleet consists of 17 vessels and two newbuildings to be delivered later this year.