Did you know

Ultragas started operations in 1960
with a gas carrier only 23m long, and
probably the smallest of its kind ever built

A partner you can trust

We have offered maritime
transportation services
for more than 60 years

About Ultranav

Ultranav is a privately owned group of shipping companies with offices in 19 countries. Through twelve businesses, we operate in five market segments: Tankers, gas, dry bulk, coastal trades, and towage & offshore. We operate a fleet of gas and chemical carriers, tankers for crude oil and clean petroleum products, bulk carriers, feeder container ships, multipurpose vessels, harbour tugs, PSVs, AHTS vessels, pusher tugs, barges and pilot boats.

Ultranav mission

We aspire to be a partner you can trust to provide efficient and safe maritime transportation services to the mutual benefit of our customers, employees, communities and the environment.

Ultranav key figures

1960

Founding year

12

Businesses

19

Countries

3,700+

Staff & crew

310+

Deep sea vessels

110+

Tugs & offshore vessels

Core values

Excellence

We seek to contribute to our customers’ competitiveness by anticipating and meeting their needs.

We encourage creativity and innovation, introducing solutions that are beyond the ordinary.

We strive to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of our services.

Passion

We are passionate about our work and our company.

We believe that personal commitment and work well done make a difference.

We challenge ourselves to create value and exceed our customers’ expectations.

Integrity

We act in an ethical manner, focusing on sustainability and safeguarding our reputation.

We encourage personal and professional development and a fair balance between work and private life.

We promote team spirit in a multicultural environment, without discrimination of any kind.

Safety

We believe that safety is an integral part of our mindset and key to our business success.

We place safety first, keeping health, life, environment, cargoes and assets free of risks.

We are committed to developing and stimulating a safe working culture onboard ships and ashore.

Group history

Ultranav was founded as Sociedad Naviera Ultragas Ltda. in 1960 by Captain Albert von Appen (1901-1971), who arrived to Chile from Hamburg in 1937 as a representative for the Hapag and Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping companies. The company was amongst the first to be engaged in the transport of gas in liquid form having constructed as its first vessel, the “Ultragas“, a 90 cubic meter capacity gas carrier newbuilding. With an overall length of 23 meters, it was probably the smallest vessel of its kind ever built. Placed into service in the southern-most Patagonia region of South America, it vastly improved the logistics for local gas producers and consumers, replacing the traditional transport of gas in steel bottles.

Captain von Appen was subsequently joined by his two sons, Sven von Appen and Wolf von Appen, who successfully developed and diversified the company. Ultranav initiated the expansion of its businesses and continued strengthening its position initially in Chile, later in Latin America and finally reaching a global level through different trades and segments. This growth has come in the form of different companies where Ultranav has developed its roles as owner, charterer and operator of merchant vessels spanning a broad spectrum of fleets specialised in international and cabotage maritime transport.

In deep sea shipping activities Ultranav today operates and owns tankers for the transport of crude oil, refined products, and chemicals; dry cargo bulk carriers, multi-purpose dry cargo and container vessels, as well as specialised vessels for the transport of liquefied gases. Because of this broad diversification in different segments the company changed its name to Naviera Ultranav to better integrate its different businesses and subsidiaries. Since 2012 Ultranav provides its services through its twelve divisions Ultrabulk, Navigator Gas, Ultratank, Cape Tankers, Austral Product Tankers, Horizon Shipping, Ultranav Chile, Antares Naviera, Naviera Transoceánica, International Shipowning, Ultratug and Wilson Sons UltraTug offshore.

The company is today led by Per von Appen, the third generation of the von Appen family, as Chairman of the Ultranav Advisory Board. Per Succeeded his brother, Dag von Appen, who had served as Chairman for about 20 years.

See a video of the first "Ultragas" vessel in operation

Founded

Ultranav was founded as Sociedad Naviera Ultragas Ltda. by Captain Albert von Appen (1901 – 1971).

1960

Started shipowning activities. Building our first ship, the very small “Ultragas”.

1965

Built first tugboat “Ultramar”, the most modern tug at the time, fitted with steerable nozzle around the propeller, providing an improved maneuverability.