House flags of Swedish Shipping Companies (12)

white flag, in center blue disk, yellow "M", in all corners blue "VOLO". Volo is the name of the firm founded by Gustav and John Myrsten.
Jarig Bakker, 13 August 2005

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A family concern shown in Lloyds under various members. Rederi A/B Volo was apparently the earliest of their shipping activities being formed in 1910 and operated until around the end of the 1950s. By then Robert Myrsten and Carl Bertil Myrsten are shown separately in Lloyds although seeming to be at the same address initially.

Brown (1982) representation
image contributed by Neale Rosanoski, 23 June 2006

Robert Myrsten is shown by US Navy 1961 ^[8] as having a white flag with a blue "M" but by Brown 1982, ^[3] it becomes white with a light blue circle bearing a gold "M" ensigning a smaller gold "R". The shade of blue is confirmed by the cap badge in Collectors Corner and compares with the darker shade given in the badge for Rederi A/B Volo on the same site.

Lloyds (1970s) rendition
image contributed by Neale Rosanoski, 23 June 2006

Yet another cap badge is given under the name of Myrstens Rederier or Myrstens Rederierna which Lloyds shows as the overall operating company for the Myrsten interests in the early 1970s. Whilst it may also be in effect the same as Brown's rendition with just a different shape portrayed for the letter, it may well be a deliberate differencing and actually apply to Carl Bertil Myrsten who operated mainly as A/B Slite and it is this flag which is shown under the last name by Josef Nüsse ^[5]. The Myrtsen interests in the 1980s continued being involved with the Viking Line through Rederi A/B Slite but there was a financial over reaching which saw the last vessels auctioned in the early 1990s. During this involvement the Viking funnel colours were used and probably their flag but this Myrsten one may have been flown also.
Neale Rosanoski, 23 June 2006