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Chambon (Shipping company, France)

History of Chambon
House flags of Chambon

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History of Chambon

Chambon is a company specialized in towing and assistance. The first towing operations made by the Chambon family are dated 1861, The company was called Marius Chambon et Cie and later Chambon Frères et Cie. In 1873, Chambon merged with several small local companies and created the SGRTM (Société Générale de Remorquage et de Travaux Maritimes). In 1891, the company bought SS Moko, which was then the most powerful tugboat in France. The ship was too big for the local trafic and Chambon sold her to the French Navy next year. She served as SS Hercule until the Second World War.
In 1901, Chambon expanded to Sète, where the company opened an agency. The expansion of the French colonial empire increased the activity of the company. During the First World War, the fleet was commissioned and took part to the Dardanelles expedition. After the War, Chambon modernized its fleet to follow the development of port activity. In 1927, the company bought the big tugboat MS L'Obstiné, which took part to deep sea rescue operations. Chambon also created a subsidiary in Morocco in partnership with Les Abeilles.
During the Second World War, the whole fleet was seized by the Germans. In 1949, the series of ships MS Marseillais-1, Marseillais-3 and Marseillais-4 replaced the ships lost during the War.
Until today, Chambon regularly updated its fleet by purchasing even bigger ships and transfered most of its activity to the oil terminal of Fos-sur-Mer, located west of Marseilles.

In 1971, the SGRTM was restructured and a new company, the CMRS (Compagnie Marseillaise de Remorquage et de Sauvetage J. Chambon et Cie) was formed. It joined the Nouvelle Société Provençale de Remorquage and the ARPEC to form the Société des Remorqueurs du Port Autonome. In Sète was formed the CSRS (Compagnie Sétoise de Remorquage et Sauvetage J. Chambon et Cie).
In 1981, Chambon created a fully-owned subsidiary Chambon Offshore International. The aim of this company was the assistance to oil research and transport. The company operated in North Africa and the Middle-East, with subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi and Alexandria.
Chambon is today a subsidiary of Groupe Bourbon.

Sources: Paul Bois. Armements marseillais - Compagnies de navigation et navires à vapeur (1831-1988), published by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marseille-Provence [boi03].