"Zim" shipping line – collection of photos, 1950s-70s.
The Israeli Shipping Lines company "Zim" ("Zim Integrated Shipping Ltd") was established in 1945 by the Jewish Agency. Its main mission was to bring hundreds of thousands of Olim and refugees to Israel. After 1948, some of the refugee vessels which were detained by the British were integrated into "Zim" fleet. At the same time the company also purchased some additional passenger vessels.
During the Independence War the company transported food, military equipment and goods at a time when no foreign vessels anchored in Israeli ports. During the 1950s and 60s passenger vessels were "Zim"'s main area of operation. "Zim" conducted regular lines in the Mediterranean Sea and later also to the United States and back. In 1964 the construction of the "Shalom" exclusive vessel has been completed. However, shortly afterwards "Shalom" turned into a financial failure and this marked the end of passenger lines for "Zim". "Zim" containers service was established in the 1970s. The company was one of the first container carriers and this became its central activity. Since the 1980s "Zim" is one of the twenty largest container carrier companies in the world.
The collection includes five photo-albums containing about 170 photos of "Zim" vessels and passengers. amongst others photos are photos of the vessels: "Gedera", "Beer Sheva", "Eilat", "Ein Gedi", "Rivka", "Shalom", "Keshet", etc. Some albums are accompanied by technical information about the vessels: date of construction, size, and other details. The albums also contain tens of photos taken during journeys around the world from locations to where "Zim" vessels sailed.