Mijnster (Shipping Company, The Netherlands) (original) (raw)

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Mijnster zand– en grinthandel bv

[ [Mijnster new houseflag] ](../images/n/nl~mijs.gif)image by Jarig Bakker, 25 Mar 2009

Mijnster

[ [Mijnster houseflag] ](../images/n/nl~mijn.gif)image by Jarig Bakker, 10 Jul 2006

‘_Mijnster zand– en grinthandel bv_’ (Mijnster Sand and Gravel Trading Co.) is a firm established at Gorinchem and Zwijndrecht, river towns not far from Rotterdam, Netherlands.
As explained on its website: Mijnster is not only involved in producing sand and gravel but also in construction, dredging, warehousing and the like, two recent examples being delivering a new kind of gravel mix to serve in railway foundations and strengthening dykes in Zeeland. These activities (see the photos on the site) call for a fleet of specialized vessels.

Details on this fleet are found under ‘vloot’: the names of the various vessels (suction dredgers, transport barges, pontoons, etc.) are clickable, leading to descriptions and photos some of which show the house flag e.g. ‘Taurus’ and ‘Zagri 3’.

Said house flag has a simple design: divided by an ascending diagonal line into yellow (upper) and blue (lower) triangles, bearing a blue initial ‘M’ in the upper hoist and a small yellow four-pointed star in the lower fly.
Jan Mertens, 12 Apr 2006

I just observed the real flag on board the "Devensteyn" with a 5-pointed star on the Kostverlorenvaart in Amsterdam. The "flag" Jan reported is the trademark of the firm, also depicted on the ship's funnel.
Jarig Bakker, 10 Jul 2006

Mijnster new flag

I should have looked more closely to the flag I mention as being flown by ‘Taurus’: where the star is not visible, but white letters are! But the mystery is solved now, I believe. Have a look at the ‘Taurus’ aka ‘Zagri 25’ page offered by the Binnenvaart site: and click the camera logo next to ‘2006’ in the table at end of page. We see more of the flag now: still no good star sighting, but the company name in white added to the lower fly (on the blue triangle).
This flag actually opens a short film (Flash) appearing on a sitededicated to the famous Dutch ‘Industrie’ vessel motors (second photo on page):
Mirrored pic was base for this image: the yellow star is placed near the fly’s horizontal edge and the name ‘MIJNSTER’ is written in a font without serifs.
Jan Mertens, 12 Sep 2008