Arctic Umiaq Line shares its origins with esteemed companies such as Royal Greenland, KNI, and Royal Arctic Line, and has proudly served Greenland for over 250 years. Our story began in 1774 when the Danish state took over the ‘Grønlandsfarten’ from Jacob Sewerin, who, following the dissolution of Hans Egede’s company, had established trade with Greenland. This occurred at a time when ships from Norway, England, Germany, and the Netherlands were prevalent in Greenlandic waters.
In 1789, our director, Jens Wille, faced challenges as English ships began to dominate Greenland’s coast, with the local population frequently visiting their vessels. To address this challenge, our subsequent director, B.J. Schultz, decided to rethink our company by introducing a differentiating logo known as the ‘harpoon flag,’ along with authoritative crew uniforms. This move established authority in Greenland over foreign vessels and marked the beginning of a new era in our history.
In 1793, our board officially approved the use of the harpoon logo, and in 1795, the Danish state recognized it as a symbol of our proud history. Today, the harpoon logo is considered one of the world’s oldest logos and continues to represent Arctic Umiaq Line.
2024 is a significant year for us as it commemorates our 250th anniversary as a company that has created welfare for the Greenlandic coastal communities. This anniversary is a celebration of our commitment to Greenland and our ongoing work in shaping a brighter future.
What we have learned over the last 250 years is that even though our past is filled with significant moments, the future always holds even more. This reminds us of our commitment to serving future generations so that they can thrive better than our current time. Our mission is to work for the future of Greenland and ensure it is a strong and sustainable community.
