Boland and Cornelius Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Maritime shipping |
| Founded | 1904 in Buffalo, New York, United States |
| Founder | Boland brothers, Adam E. Cornelius |
| Fate | Ownership transferred to General American Transportation Corporation (GATX) in 1973 |
| Headquarters | Buffalo , United States |
Area served | Great Lakes region, United States |
Key people | Adam E. Cornelius (innovator of self-unloading vessels) |
| Products | Shipping services, self-unloading vessels |
| Parent | General American Transportation Corporation (from 1973) |
Boland and Cornelius Company was a maritime enterprise established in 1904 by Messrs Boland alongside Adam E. Cornelius in Buffalo, New York. Adam E. Cornelius was a trailblazer in implementing self-unloading vessels, transforming the cargo unloading process by significantly reducing both time and expenses. In 1907, the partners created the American Steamship Company as a division, which eventually developed into the current GATX Corporation. The company’s emblem consisted of white and red colors with the initials "B&C" displayed in blue.
In 1973, ownership of both firms transferred from the Boland and Cornelius families to the General American Transportation Corporation (GATX). Later, in 2020, GATX divested its shipping segment to RAND Logistics Inc., a company founded in 2006 that has since expanded through acquiring several shipping businesses.
Before this, the Boland brothers—John J. and Joseph—initiated their first Great Lakes shipping enterprise by founding the J.J. Boland Company in Buffalo in 1895. Joseph Boland exited the firm in 1901.
Self-unloading ships
The bulk carriers introduced by Adam E. Cornelius featured conveyor belt booms for rapid and effective cargo unloading. These pioneering vessels were initially built by the American Shipbuilding Company.
World War II
During 1941, Boland and Cornelius served as agents for the American Steamship Company, managing a fleet that supported the World War II operations. They oversaw Merchant navy ships on behalf of the United States Shipping Board, participating in charter agreements with both the Maritime Commission and the War Shipping Administration. Their fleet comprised Liberty ships and tankers staffed by Boland and Cornelius crews, while United States Navy Armed Guard units handled deck armaments and radio communications.
Ships
- SS Yale – first steel-hulled vessel
- Adam E. Cornelius (1) (1908)
- SS William G. Mather (1905)
- Adam E. Cornelius (2)
- Adam E. Cornelius (3), a self-unloading vessel launched in 1959
- Hugh Kennedy (1907 laker)
- MV John J. Boland (1973)
- MV Saginaw (1953)
Ships of J.J. Boland Company:
- SV Alta, schooner (1884–1905)
- J.J. Boland Jr., lost at sea
Liberty ships operated:
- James F. Harrell
- Alexander Lillington
- SS Harold T. Andrews
- La Salle Seam
- Darel M. Ritter
- Mary Wilkins Freeman
- Francis A. Retka
- Thomas H. Gallaudet
- Pocahontas Seam
- Jellico Seam