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Houseflags of Japanese shipping companies

Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: maritime shipping | mon | kinkai yusan | kyoei tanker |
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Kinkai Yusen K.K.

[Kinkai Yusen] image by Jarig Bakker, 30 August 2005
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Tokyo - swallowtail of 5 equally wide horizontal stripes of white and red.
Jarig Bakker, 30 August 2005


Kitanihon-oi Kaiun K.K.

[Kitanihon-oi Kaiun K.K.] image by Jarig Bakker, 16 September 2005
Source: Brown’s Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World, 1995 [lgr95]

Tokyo - is that a bridge on top? Or a dry-dock?
Jarig Bakker, 16 September 2005


Kokusai Kisen K.K.

[Kokusai Kisen K.K.]
image by Jarig Bakker, 1 February 2006
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Tokyo - white flag, the firm's logo.
Jarig Bakker, 1 February 2006


Kowa Kaiun K.K.

[Kowa Kaiun K.K.] image by Jarig Bakker, 19 December 2005
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Hiroshima - green flag; in center green cross outlined white.
Jarig Bakker, 19 December 2005


Kumiai Senpaku

[Kumiai Senpaku]
image contributed by Jan Mertens, 7 May 2007

Proclaiming "The Logo of K Sails Across the World’s Seas", Japanese shipping company Kumiai Senpaku Co., Ltd shows the initialled house flag on the homepage (English version): or rather, it appears among the various images. On a yellow field is placed a stylized initial ‘K’ doubling as "a sturdy stalk of wheat" , all red.

The company seat is Tokyo and the year of foundation, 1972. Lightly edited quote from the ‘Profile’ section:

Secured by the charter from Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. under a long term commitment from the National Federation of AgriculturaI Co-operative Associations, we [had] the 26,000 ton ship, the first series of the Hourai Maru, [built] in December of the same year and started an overseas shipping business. Kumiai Senpaku has since then [acquired] livestock grain carriers, large material carriers for iron steel, LPG carriers and oil tankers in rapid succession (…) resulting in an expanding fleet of vessels.

In 1995, we incorporated Kumiai Navigation (Pte) Ltd in Singapore (…) in anticipation of the rising tides of globalization for the new century to come, Kumiai Senpaku now owns a total of 20 or more oceangoing vessels in Japan and Singapore, holding the position of the number one independent shipowner in Japan (…).

The ‘Group Fleet’ section lists ships under the two names, Kumiai Senpaku and Kumiai Navigation, the second of which is also presented :
Jan Mertens, 7 May 2007


Kyoei Tanker K.K.

Company flag
[Kyoei Tanker K.K.] image by Eugene Ipavec, 9 October 2007

Incorrect depiction in Flags, Funnels and Hull Colours
[Kyoei Tanker K.K.] image by Phil Nelson
Source: Flags, Funnels and Hull Colours, 1963 [ste63]

The flag for this company, which dates from 1949, is white with two narrow horizontal red bands and a thick vertical red band.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003


From the ‘Company History’: founded 1937 in Kobe; 1949, legally obliged to split off Kyoei Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha; 1951, starts overseas tanker transportation; 1960, expansion into coastal shipping; 1963, joins NYK Group; 1965, moves head office to Tokyo; 1985, takes over personnel of Daikyo Tanker KK; continued expansion thanks to building state-of-the-art tankers.

Almost all ships are registered in Panama or Liberia, and have double hulls; some are owned, others managed. Among the ships is one LPG tanker.
Jan Mertens, 8 October 2007