Nachipa has its origins in Chile in 1948 as the son of a war hero looked to make his way in the world.
Founder Arturo Fernandez Zegers was born in 1904. His father was Admiral Arturo Fernandez Vial, a well-known admiral who fought in the War of the Pacific between 1879 and 1884.
Also known as the Saltpetre War, this was a battle over coastal Bolivian territory won by Chile against a Bolivian-Peruvian alliance.
Fernandez Zegers, who died in 1999, began his career in the Chilean scrap iron market.
After buying an old dredger for its scrap iron, the businessman instead converted the ship to be a merchant vessel, beginning his move into shipping.
Following a period of bankruptcy, Fernandez Zegers resurrected his dream of being a shipowner by forming a new company, Naviera Chilena del Pacifico, or Nachipa.
With partners Ivor Davis Ducker and Sergio Ried Matte, Nachipa opened offices in the ports of Valparaiso and Santiago.
Small beginnings
The company's first repurposed vessel was the 300-dwt Huelen, followed by the Toqui.
Nachipa became fully incorporated in 30 June 1948 with Supreme Decree No 5178, entitling the company to trade in maritime, river, lake and land carriage.
The company had an initial equity of CLP 8m (now $10,000), as well as a number of other investors.
The fleet has evolved over the years from a local operator to a global player.
CEO and director Felipe Simian represents Nachipa’s third generation of owner-operators.
He remains involved in all aspects of the business and works closely to retain customer and partner relations after more than 14 years with Nachipa.
Simian earned his bachelor's degree at Gabriela Mistral University in Santiago, and gained a master's at London Metropolitan University in the UK, studying trade and transport.
"We've learned throughout the years that there are some countries that have actual advantages to being shipowners. Chile is a country that doesn't have any public stimuli from the government," the CEO said.
'A fantastic view'
"Chile is not a maritime country. It's a country with a fantastic view, and we have a highway, the longest in the world, and no one uses it."
Nachipa operates in cargo areas such as saltpetre, iron ore, cement, forest products, cellulose, logs, charcoal, fertilisers and grains. Clients include miners, producers, traders and end-users.
Simian, whose father still chairs the company, added: "We chose our clients. They know us, but they still relate us to this company that we're not right now.
"They still think, these guys have these old vessels, but no, we operate a completely new fleet, whose average age is only five years old.
Reputation is everything
"We have a fantastic relationship with owners — Japanese and other nationalities. There's nobody that can say anything bad about Nachipa."
And he added: "The only thing you have is your name so you have to look after it if you're small."
Simian said the market has been tough over the past few years, and the global pandemic has added to the challenge.
"We are looking forward to a healthier market in the not-so-distant future. It’s been a difficult period, but our transition to an asset-light, cargo-focused model and expansion into new regions is enabling us to ride out the storm, as well as making us more resilient to unexpected market conditions," the CEO added.
"We are cautiously optimistic about next year and ready to seize the opportunities when they arrive."
