Hamburg America Line

Not to be confused with Hamburg Atlantic Line.
Hamburg America Line
Native name
Hamburg-Amerikanische Paketfahrt-Aktien-Gesellschaft
Industryshipping
Founded1847
FounderAlbert Ballin (Director General), Adolph Godeffroy, Ferdinand Laeisz, Carl Woermann, and August Bolten
Defunct1 September 1970
FateMerged with Norddeutscher Lloyd
SuccessorHapag-Lloyd
Headquarters
Hamburg
,
Germany
"Twin Screw Express Steamers" 1899 ad

The Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft (HAPAG), known in English as the Hamburg America Line, was a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg, in 1847. Among those involved in its development were prominent citizens such as Albert Ballin (director general), Adolph Godeffroy, Ferdinand Laeisz, Carl Woermann, August Bolten, and others, and its main financial backers were Berenberg Bank and H. J. Merck & Co. It soon developed into the largest German, and at times the world's largest, shipping company, serving the market created by German immigration to the United States and later, immigration from Eastern Europe. On 1 September 1970, after 123 years of independent existence, HAPAG merged with the Bremen-based North German Lloyd to form Hapag-Lloyd AG.

1899 ad in The Mail and Express (New York City)