Wallem Group, a global maritime partner, is celebrating the centenary of moving its headquarters to Hong Kong.
The celebrations will be marked by a special event on 12 November 2025 in the presence of Guest of Honour Hong Kong Finance Secretary, commemorating 100 years since the relocation – 22 years after Norwegian shipbroker and agent Haakon Wallem formed Wallem & Co. in 1903.
By 1925, Haakon had earned the nickname ‘Typhoon Wallem’, reflecting his energy and business acumen and his deployment of both to support Chinese shipowners.
In the 100 years since, shipping has been buffeted by wars, piracy, economic crises, terrorism, environmental and safety emergencies, and adapted to new regulatory agendas, digital revolutions, and a global pandemic.
Hong Kong has remained Wallem’s home throughout, during a century of radically changing trade patterns, containerisation and globalisation. Home, too, to the world’s fourth largest ship register and a top ten global container port, Hong Kong recently benefited from a new favourable maritime tax regime.
“Wallem’s enduring commitment to Hong Kong reflects the critical role it plays as a hub for international shipping and the global centre of gravity for ship management itself,” says John Rowley, CEO, Wallem Group. “It also offers a deep pool of talent to drive success across every aspect of our activities as we look ahead with confidence based on a strategy for sustainable growth that places clients and the business opportunities they seek at its heart.”
Since 2006, Wallem has been owned by Tom Steckmest, great grandson of Haakon Wallem, and Nigel Hill, the current Chairman. Both emphasise that their goal was and is to develop the best ship management group in terms of quality and service with a growing client base to match.
Nigel Hill comments: “Wallem sees ship management as a very personalised service, offered so that each vessel meets the highest standards of quality, safety and sustainability whilst ensuring cost-effectiveness. Achieving this requires an equal partnership with the shipowner to make the best use of Wallem’s management and technical expertise. Hong Kong is Wallem’s home, and we believe that Wallem’s independence remains the key to our ship management’s future success.”
Wallem’s other divisions – Agency, Marine services, Crewing, IT and Commercial – support the core ship management service, and technology is required to do the same. Key emphases are always maintained on safety and the welfare of seafarers.
Further celebrating its maritime heritage, Wallem has published an updated edition of Typhoon Wallem, the history first released in 2003 to commemorate 100 years since the company’s foundation. Anthony Hardy’s original text has been combined with new chapters from maritime historian, Stephanie Zarach, detailing the challenges and changes that have occurred since.
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