Royal Interocean Lines company plaque
Maker
Royal Interocean Lines
(1947 - 1977)
Datec 1960
Object number00046236
NamePlaque
MediumMetal
DimensionsOverall: 10 x 400 mm, 4420 g
ClassificationsCommemorative artefacts
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Warwick Abadee
HistoryThe Royal Interocean Lines plaque was fixed to the wall at the main entrance of Interocean House, 261 George Street, Sydney. This building was the Australian headquarters for nearly all Dutch shipping companies, as well as some other shipowners and the Dutch charter airline Martinair.
In 1975 RIL was integrated with most of the major Dutch lines under the new name of Nedlloyd Lines, part of the Royal Nedlloyd Group. The RIL plaque was then removed from Interocean House. It was presented by the new company to Warwick Abadee, who had been employed at RIL since 1957 and had become Assistant General Manager for Australia and a local Director of RIL.
RIL began trading in 1902 carrying cargo and passengers under the name Java-China-Paketvaart Lijnen (JCPL). In 1947 the Dutch Crown granted the prefix Koninklijke (Royal), making it KJCPL. The name was anglicised as Royal Interocean Lines (RIL). Before World War II it traded to the Far East, but after the war it grew rapidly and traded to South-east Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and Central and South America. It became one of the world's largest andmost powerful shipping companies, of which its Australian operations were an important part.
