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Royal Interocean Lines
Royal Interocean Lines

Royal Interocean Lines

1947 - 1977
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BiographyOriginally founded in 1902 as Java-China-Japan Line for the routes between the Dutch East Indies, China and Japan. After WWII it merged with another company in 1947 becoming Koninklijke Java-China-Paketvaart-Lijnen (KJCPL) the 'Royal' was bestowed by Queen Wilhelmina. The ships of KJCPL were operated by Royal Interocean Lines. In 1960 Indonesia was closed to Dutch shipping so their east Asian route was changed to Australia - China (Hong Kong) - Japan. In 1970 Royal Interocean Lines was merged with Nedlloyd the process took about ten years. In 1977 NSU changed its name to Koninklijke Nedlloyd Groep N.V. ("Royal Nedlloyd Group").

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 and most powerful shipping companies, of which its Australian operations were an important part.
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.
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