Description

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The Plate, Reuchlin & Co company was founded in 1871 by Antoine Plate F.jn and Jhr. Otto Reuchlin, with the aim of a direct connection to America, equipped with steam ships. In 1873 Plate, Reuchlin & Co was converted into the NV Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart-Maatschappij (NASM). Shortly afterwards, in 1875, the Nieuwe Waterweg was opened, making Rotterdam an important European port. New York became a permanent destination during this period. Because the name ‘Holland-Amerika Lijn’ (HAL) had become common in the language, the NASM added this name to its statutory name on 15 June 1896, so that the company has since officially become NV Nederlandsch-American Stoomvaart-Maatschappij ‘Holland-Amerika Lijn is called HAL for short. In 1973 the name was shortened to Holland Amerika Lijn NV, from that moment without a line between Holland and America. The transatlantic connection Rotterdam-New York existed from 1873 to 1978, and played a major role in the relocations from Europe to America. The company also operated freight lines, but as a side issue. Due to the increasing competition of the aircraft on the transatlantic route, passenger ships were increasingly used for cruise shipping. On November 8, 1971, the Nieuw Amsterdam (II) left Rotterdam for the very last crossing. In 1975 the Transport division (the cargo ships) was sold and the focus became more and more on cruise shipping. The seat of the passenger company was already transferred to New York in 1971. In 1978 the head office was relocated to Stamford (Connecticut). In 1983 both offices moved to Seattle (Washington) on the American West Coast, where all the offices of Westours Inc., acquired in 1971, were already located. was established. On 1 May 1984 the characteristic office on the Wilhelminakade was for sale: the current Hotel New York. The abbreviation HAL was given an English interpretation: Holland America Line. Holland America Line Inc. enlisted at Carnival Corporation & PLC in Miami, the world’s largest cruise consortium to which many shipping companies belong. The Dutch origin lives on in the well-known logo that depicts the sailing ship De Halve Maen (the ship with which Henry Hudson discovered Manhattan in 1609) with in the background the bow of the Nieuw Amsterdam (II), the most famous ship of the HAL. The ships have been sailing under the Dutch flag for a number of years, and they also have a fleet office in Rotterdam because they are still mostly sailing with Dutch officers. Rotterdam is also increasingly a port of call during the cruises that HAL ships make in Western Europe during the summer months. On 28 February 2007, the HAL opened its European headquarters in Rotterdam in the Montevideo office and residential tower, diagonally behind the former headquarters on Wilhelminapier on the Kop van Zuid, after 36 years of absence in this city.