Beluga Boat Ownership: Mystery Solved

The Beluga boat has had several owners over the years. The BBC California, formerly known as Beluga Fraternity, is a German cargo ship owned by Beluga Shipping. In 2011, Beluga Shipping was declared insolvent, and the company was taken over by Oaktree Capital Management, which founded a new heavy-lift shipping company, Hansa Heavy Lift. The superyacht Beluga, on the other hand, is owned by Chris Ellis and Sandrina Postorino, who purchased it in 2015. Ellis and Postorino are based in Sydney and have taken Beluga on adventures to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Superyacht Beluga is owned by Chris Ellis and Sandrina Postorino

Ellis and Postorino have different interests when it comes to yachting. Postorino enjoys scuba diving, snorkelling, and free diving, while Ellis prefers fishing. However, they both wanted to test the custom Moonen's explorer capabilities outside of Australian waters. "We wanted to go to some of the places that we knew other domestic boats couldn't get to," Ellis said.

The rugged steel and aluminium tri-deck displacement yacht can handle any seas, and the couple planned a trip to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to explore the famous diving sites in these regions. They decided to send Beluga ahead and fly in with friends, as there are only two ports in the Solomon Islands where customs and immigration can be cleared: the capital, Honiara, and the second port in the northern part of the country.

Each morning, Ellis and Postorino, along with their crew, would awake to dugout canoes of villagers who had come to trade goods. They had stocked the boat with educational materials, such as pencils and crayons, as well as footballs, chisels, and sandpaper to barter with. Interacting with the local communities was a highlight for the couple, who also employed a local guide to help them navigate the cultural nuances and spread the word about Beluga's visits.

After their time in the Solomon Islands, the couple stayed on board while Beluga made her way to Alotau in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. They opted to fly out immigration and customs officers to clear the yacht into the country, which allowed them to explore the untouched archipelago and islands of the southeast coast. The farther they ventured off the beaten track, the clearer the water became, and the more abundant the marine life was.

The trip was a success, and Beluga coped well with her first foray outside of Australian waters under Ellis and Postorino's ownership. Since then, they have returned to explore the even more remote Coral Sea Islands.

Beluga Shipping, a German heavy-lift shipping company, owned Beluga Fraternity

Beluga Fraternity was a German general cargo ship owned by Beluga Shipping. In 2009, Beluga Fraternity and her sister ship, Beluga Foresight, made headlines when they transited the Northern Sea Route, carrying power plant components from South Korea to Russia. This voyage was notable as it was claimed to be the first time non-Russian ships made this transit, although this was later proven incorrect.

Beluga Shipping expanded its global network, with branch offices on five continents by 2009. However, the company faced financial troubles during the global recession and relied on investments from Oaktree Capital Management. In March 2011, Beluga Shipping was declared insolvent, impacting 670 employees. Soon after, the company filed for bankruptcy, and Oaktree founded a new heavy-lift shipping company, Hansa Heavy Lift, with part of the Beluga Fleet.

Beluga Shipping was founded by Niels Stolberg

Beluga Shipping was founded by German entrepreneur Niels Stolberg in Bremen, Germany, in December 1995. Initially, the company operated as a cargo operator, but Stolberg had bigger ambitions. Before founding Beluga Shipping, he had worked for several years at the Bremen-based shipping company, Bruno Bischoff, where he built up the freight department.

Stolberg's vision for Beluga Shipping was to create a world-leading heavy-lift shipping company. By 1998, the company acquired its first vessel, the MV Beluga Obsession, a multipurpose heavy-lift carrier. A year later, in 1999, Beluga Shipping built its first new vessel, the MV Werder Bremen. The company grew rapidly, and by May 2010, it had 69 multipurpose heavy-lift carriers in service, with crane capacities of up to 1,400 tons in tandem usage (P-series). The fleet continued to expand, reaching 70 units by the end of 2010.

Beluga Shipping's growth was not limited to its fleet. The company expanded its global network, establishing twelve branch offices on five continents by March 2009. The new headquarters in Bremen, inaugurated in June 2009, further solidified the company's presence.

However, the global recession took its toll, and from 2010 onwards, Beluga Shipping relied heavily on financial support from the US investment firm Oaktree Capital Management. This led to Oaktree acquiring a 49.5% stake in the company and ultimately taking over the Beluga Group in 2011. Around the same time, financial irregularities and scandals surfaced, leading to Stolberg's departure as CEO and subsequent legal troubles. Despite these challenges, Beluga Shipping's legacy as an innovative and ambitious shipping company is undeniable, thanks to the vision and efforts of its founder, Niels Stolberg.

Beluga Shipping was declared insolvent in 2011

Beluga Shipping was a German heavy-lift shipping company based in Bremen. It was founded in December 1995 by entrepreneur Niels Stolberg and quickly became a world market leader in heavy-lift shipping. By 2010, the company had 69 multipurpose heavy-lift carriers in service, with crane capacities reaching 1,400 tons in tandem usage.

However, the company was heavily impacted by the global recession. From 2010 onwards, Beluga Shipping relied heavily on financial support from the US investment firm Oaktree Capital Management. Oaktree Capital Management became a shareholder with a 49.5% stake in the company. In February 2011, Oaktree Capital Management moved to take over the Beluga Group, and on March 3, 2011, Niels Stolberg retired as CEO, with Oaktree appointee Roger Lliffe replacing him.

Soon after Oaktree's takeover, the company filed for bankruptcy. This was due to financial irregularities committed by Stolberg, who had invented sales, falsified balance sheets, and simulated excessive costs in order to obtain higher loans for new buildings. These scams came to light in 2011, and as a result, the new owners pushed Stolberg out of the company and gradually filed for bankruptcy for the individual Beluga companies.

Beluga Shipping was officially declared insolvent in March 2011, affecting 670 employees. Oaktree Capital then founded a new heavy-lift shipping company, Hansa Heavy Lift, using part of the Beluga fleet.

Beluga Shipping was a world market leader in heavy-lift shipping

Beluga Shipping experienced significant growth in the years that followed. By May 2010, the company had 69 multipurpose heavy-lift carriers in service, with crane capacities reaching 1,400 tons in tandem usage (P-series). The fleet further expanded to 70 units by the end of 2010. The company offered trade lane management but focused primarily on tramp shipping, tailoring each transport to the specific requirements of the cargo and the ports of loading and destination.

Beluga Shipping's headquarters were inaugurated in June 2009 on the Teerhof, close to the Weser River in Bremen. The company also established a global presence with twelve branch offices on five continents by March 2009. These offices were located in major cities around the world, including Rotterdam, London, Stavanger, Moscow, Mumbai, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, São Paulo, and Houston.

Beluga Shipping was highly innovative in the shipping industry. They were the first company to equip their fleet with SkySails, reducing fuel consumption by up to 5%. Additionally, in 2009, a ship from the Beluga Group became the first to navigate the icy Northern Sea Route through the Arctic Ocean. This route is one-third shorter than the traditional route through the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal.

Despite its success, Beluga Shipping faced financial challenges due to the global recession. The company relied on financial support from the US investment firm Oaktree Capital Management, which eventually led to Oaktree's takeover of the Beluga-Group in 2011. Soon after the takeover, Beluga Shipping filed for bankruptcy, and Oaktree established a new heavy-lift shipping company, Hansa Heavy Lift, utilizing part of the Beluga Fleet.

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