Three companies have joined forces

Ernst Russ AG is a publicly traded international ship owner and maritime investment manager based in Hamburg. Parts of the company's history date back to 1893. The group currently manages a fleet of 31 fully consolidated vessels. The focus is on container vessels in the size classes between 700 and 6,600 TEU. Ernst Russ AG is continuously expanding its fleet, thus ensuring stable and sustainable value growth for shareholders.

Ernst Russ, well-established shipping company

Ernst Russ GmbH & Co. KG

Ernst Russ established his shipping company in Hamburg more than 120 years ago, in 1893, and quickly amassed a fleet of 16 ships. Although he lost ten ships in the First World War, he rebuilt and expanded the fleet to 37 ships. Ernst Russ suffered severe losses again in the Second World War, but the company was saved and rebuilt again. Ernst Russ was able to leave his successors a thriving shipping business. It formed the basis for a modern shipping company focusing on ro-ro and container shipping.

Ernst Russ placed great importance on mutual trust and efficiency. These values guided the actions of his successors as well, enabling them to develop the shipping company into what is now one of Hamburg’s oldest. In 2013, Ernst Russ GmbH joined forces with Peter Döhle Schiffahrts KG and Stüwe – another shipping company – to establish Russ Shipbroker, a globally operating enterprise.

Asset and investment management at HCI Capital

HCI Capital AG

HCI Capital AG was founded in 1985 to issue shares in ship investments. The company quickly evolved into one of Germany’s leading addresses for ship shares and expanded its business to include further asset classes such as property, private equity and alternatives.

HCI Capital AG went public in 2003 and founded Hammonia Reederei in collaboration with Peter Döhle Schiffahrts AG. This was followed in 2015 by the establishment of HCV (Hanseatische Capital Verwaltung GmbH & Co. KG) investment management company and the award of a full licence to the company by Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, BaFin). HCI Group provides fiduciary services as well as structuring and managing alternative investment funds (AIF).

Shipping expertise from König & Cie.

König & Cie.

König & Cie. GmbH & Co. KG was established in 1999. Its business initially focused on issuing shares in ship investments and other asset classes such as infrastructure, private equity and property. From 2008 onwards, König & Cie. increasingly evolved into a corporate group engaged in international shipping activities and the provision of maritime services, positioning itself as a reliable partner for professional clients and shipping companies.

Alongside its joint venture with OSM Ship Management to exploit synergies arising from the technical management of bulkers, offshore ships, tankers and container vessels, König & Cie. also established Hanseatischer Treuhand Verbund, one of the leading fiduciary companies in the German market. Its strategic partnership with Icelandic shipping company Eimskip completes the international network of König & Cie. in the fields of chartering, sales and purchase, crewing, construction and investment Projects.

Milestones

1893

Ernst Russ GmbH & Co. KG

Ernst Russ GmbH & Co. KG is established.

1899

Ernst Russ GmbH & Co. KG

Ernst Russ orders his first new ship – MARTHA RUSS. She was built in Rostock and could carry 3,100 TDW.

1957

Ernst Russ GmbH & Co. KG

Ernst Russ dies shortly before his 90th birthday, leaving a shipping company with a fleet of 21 vessels. Four years later, his son-in-law and partner, Paul Lorenz-Meyer, dies. Together, the two of them had managed the company’s business for nearly 40 years.

1985

HCI Capital

Hanseatische Capital Invest AG is established as the starting point for HCI Group.

1999

Logo König & Cie.

König & Cie. GmbH & Co. KG is established.

2005

HCI Capital

HCI goes public.

2016

HCI Capital

HCI acquires König & Cie. and, in doing so, expands its range of maritime and shipping-related services.

2016

HCI Capital

HCI Capital AG acquires Ernst Russ GmbH & Co. KG shipping company, expands its fleet of operated vessels, and strengthens the position of HCI Group in international shipping business.

2016

HCI Capital

HCI Group takes over a ship portfolio financed by HSH Nordbank.

2016

HCI Capital

HCI Capital acquires the majority stake in WestFonds Immobilien Anlagegesellschaft mbH (WestFonds) from Erste Abwicklungsanstalt AöR (EAA).

2016

Ernst Russ AG

Ernst Russ AG is the product of the Merger of König & Cie. Group and Ernst Russ Reederei into HCI Group in 2016.

2017

Assetando

Ernst Russ AG subsidiary Assetando expands real estate management portfolio by more than EUR 1 Billion.

2019

Ernst Russ AG

Ernst Russ Group divests the Investor Management segment and continues to focus on asset investment and asset management.

2020

Assetando

Ernst Russ AG divests the real estate segment.

2021

Ernst Russ AG

Ernst Russ Group - refinancing of a fleet of twelve container vessels.