Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij
	Founded:	1914
	Ceased:	1966

Updated: 8 Feb. 2007

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Notes:

Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij = Royal Packet Navigation Co.

Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij: Founded 1890 by Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland and Rotterdamsche Lloyd to provide a feeding line for the home steamers. 13 steamers provided thirteen services serving about 80 ports of call. In 1920, the fleet included 92 vessels on 50 services with about 300 ports of call. In 1890 the Singapore office was opened under the management of “De Scheeps Agentur”, late J. Daendels. In 1914 it opened its own offices at 2-3 Collyer Quay. [Additional information from John Wilson 20 November 2006. [M04]]

Founded on 1 January 1888 when Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland and Rotterdamsche Lloyd merged. Service actually started on 1 January 1891 with 29 ships to provide ship service between the islands of the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia). Eventually the service expanded to include Australia, New Zealand and Africa.

The Singapore agency was opened in 1890 under Messrs De Scheeps Agentuur.

In 1914 they opened their own office in Singapore.

In 1916 a line from Penang and Singapore to China was commenced.

By 1921 the fleet consisted of 92 ships which called at over 300 ports in the Dutch East Indian Archipelago.

By the outbreak of WWII KPM had 140 ships of theses 98 were lost during the hostilities.

In 1958 KPM leaves Indonesia and establishes it headquarters in Singapore.

In 1966 the KPM was taken over by the Koninklijke Java China Paketvaart Lijnen (KJCPL) [Royal Interocean Lines]

In 1977 KJCPL joined Nedlloyd.

Mail Contrat

They had a mail contract from 1891 to 1912. During this period the mail was carried by closed mail bag so no ship markings will be found. Starting on 1 April 1912, so called Acting Sub-Post Offices began operating onboard KPM ships. Initially, these were supplied straight-line cachets consisting of the ship’s name. Subsequently it was the responsibility of KPM to supply cachets to replace the old ones or to newly acquired ships. These new cachets were either double or triple ovals or circles. Theses consisted of the company name and the ship name and no date. The cachets were to be applied in black ink but the use of violet ink also occurred. The circular handstamps are 38 mm in diameter and most ovals are 44 mm x 24 mm. Straits Settlements stamps may be found bearing KPM ship cachets because UPU regulations dictated that foreign mail be treated the same as national mail.

Refs:

• Webb page 367
• The Malayan Philatelist – Journal of the Malaya Study Group, Vol. 35 #4 (whole number 184) April-June 1994: “KPM” – Royal Packet Company, operating in the Dutch East Indies from 1891 by Martinus Verkuil, pp. 30 – 35.

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2006 © Michel Houde
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