1916
Shri Kishinchand Chellaram, launched a small retail textile business in Madras (now Chennai), India laying the foundations of Kishinchand Chellaram Group.
"The harder I worked, more opportunities came my way."
- Shri Kishinchand Chellaram, 1880 - 1951
1918
The company opened the doors of its first overseas office in Yokohama Japan, spearheading a series of international trading depots throughout Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia.
Shri Kishinchand Chellaram with management and staff of Kishinchand Chellaram Yokohama office.
1936
The Kishinchand Chellaram Group grew to be one of the leading trading houses in West Africa, Europe and Asia with over 50 branches across four continents.
Shri Kishinchand Chellaram and Lokumal K Chellaram in Lagos, 1936.
1980
Under the Chairmanship of Lokumal K. Chellaram, the business diversified into dry-bulk shipping with the establishment of its flagship company Kishinchand Chellaram Maritime Agencies Ltd. The company took delivery of its first vessel “Darya Lok” in the same year.
Lokumal K Chellaram, Chairman of Kishinchand Chellaram Maritime Agencies Ltd., with Derek Kimber, Managing Director of Sunderland Shipbuilders at delivery of a vessel in 1981
1996
The Company added to the fleet, two panamax bulk carrier vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries, South Korea, taking delivery in 1996.
1999
Following a corporate restructuring of the Group in 1999, KC Maritime was established under the Chairmanship of Sham L. Chellaram to consolidate the Group's shipping activities.
2001
KC Maritime fleet grew by taking delivery of three new panamax vessels from Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Japan between 1999 and 2001.
2004
Further expanding its fleet size, KC Maritime was at the time one of only a handful of International Ship Owners to build ships in China by ordering four Panamax size vessels from Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding, China, between 2003 and 2004.
2006
KC Maritime diversified into project vessel business which mainly catered to customers who required specialised vessels for their iron ore / coal and aggregate cargoes. Specialised self-unloading vessels were designed and constructed to maximise efficiency for customers in the Middle – East for their aggregate cargoes. As part of “close – to – customer” approach, we set up an office In Dubai in 2006 to service the contracts and serve customers more efficiently.
2010
With a new structure under the Chairmanship of Sham L. Chellaram, there was further expansion into the offshore marine logistics sector with the formation of Chellsea, headquartered in Singapore to specialize in Platform Supply Vessels.
2013
KC Maritime fleet grew by five more vessels, by taking delivery of new Kamsarmax size vessels, from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Company, South Korea and Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries, Romania, between 2011 to 2013.
2017
In the process of expansion, KC Maritime entered a JV with a reputed Bank to manage dry bulk vessels.
2018
The company took delivery of four new Ultramax vessels from COSCO (Zhoushan) shipyard between 2015 and 2018. KCM also took delivery of one Kamsarmax vessel from COSCO (Dalian) Shipyard.
2020
Gautam S Chellaram took over as the Chairman of the Company in 2020. After an organization restructuring, he led the new management team to formulate the growth strategy of the company. With this change, KC Maritime is set on a fresh path of sustainability and growth.
2022
KC Maritime looks to expand the fleet with two 63,600-dwt Ultramax New Buildings ordered with Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry Zhoushan (Cosco Zhoushan) which are expected to be delivered between the second half of 2023 and first half of 2024. The vessels will comply with the International Maritime Organization’s Phase 3 standards of the Energy Efficiency Design Index.
TODAY
With a growing fleet of modern Kamsarmax and Ultramax bulk carriers, KC Maritime is committed in providing top-class services in the dry-bulk segment under the Chairmanship of Gautam S. Chellaram.
