Javier Ferrer publishes the book on the history of Naviera Vizcaína

Naviera Vizcaína takes the form of a book thanks to the pen of its author, Javier Ferrer Arellano, the Gondra Barandiarán Foundation, Plimsoll Ediciones (Librería Robinson in Madrid) and Roberto Hernández, the Illustrator of Ships. A very timely publication referring to one of the great shipping companies in Spain, a prestigious name in the Merchant Navy between 1956 and 1992, although in its final years it suffered a progressive decline that led to its demise. It was presented this week in the auditorium of Itsasmuseum Bilbao, with great success in attendance, as could be expected.

We knew the detailed evolution of Naviera Vizcaína in part thanks to the documented blog of its author, a naval engineering doctor, who spent 23 years of his professional life in the aforementioned company, where he joined in 1969 as head of the Technical Department and years later would become general director. It seems that when the shipping company came under the control of REPSOL, all its archives were destroyed, which undoubtedly constitutes a serious heritage crime.

For this reason, drawing on his documentary background, his memory, and numerous contacts, Javier Ferrer Arellano has reconstructed the history of Naviera Vizcaína and divides the work into four main chapters, from its establishment in 1956 to the era of the large oil tankers “Mundaca” and “Munguía” in 1977, a period in which it had 1.2 million TPM. Then come the hard damages, between 1978 and 1983; the change of direction prompted from that year, which would last until 1986, and the decline that precipitated its end in 1992.

Titled “Naviera Vizcaína, its history, its ships, its people,” it is a well-structured volume of 246 pages, in a manageable format (265 x 210) and with an interesting photographic selection. The touch of The Illustrator of Ships adds a distinguished plus, in which the author refines his brushes in an admirable way. The documentary background provided is truly interesting, in which Javier Ferrer Arellano carefully weaves the evolution of this company and other companies linked to its shareholders, such as Naviera Química and NAVIPESA.

Photo: provided