Pacific Orient Express Line

This was a joint venture by the Halfdan Ditlev-Simonsen & Co. of Norway and Rederiekatiebolaget Transatlantic of Sweden which appears to have operated between at least 1948 and 1954 using vessels of the two principals. According to US Navy 1961 [usn61] there were two sets of livery which saw the Norwegian ships use a red swallowtail with a white diagonal band from lower hoist to upper fly bearing the blue letters "POE" [p377], and the Swedish ships a version which was tapered and had a blue field in lieu of red and black letters [p376]. The former flag, which is based on that of Ditlev-Simonsen, is supported by an image which appears on a pamphlet on Time Table Images which apparently states that the company was wholly owned by Ditlev-Simonsen even though Transatlantic ships were shown on the sailing list. This may have been a bending of the facts because it was publicizing one of the Ditlev ships. The Swedish flag has no connection with that of Transatlantic though the basic funnel colours do.
Neale Rosanoski, 26 October 2006