It was founded on 15 June 1885 by Adolph Woermann and developed as one of the leading shipping companies between Europe and Africa. From 1899 the company was headquartered in Afrikahaus, in Hamburg.
For decades it transported contract laborers to various places on the African continent, for instance, workers from Liberia and Nigeria to Spanish Guinea.
The Woermann family sold it to Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie in 1916.
In 1942, it and the Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie were taken over by John T. Essberger. The Deutsche Afrika-Linien lost both fleets in post-war reparations.
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