Jacob Stolt-Nielsen, 83, passed away today in the company of his family at his home in Oslo.
An entrepreneur and visionary of boundless enthusiasm and energy, Jacob Stolt-Nielsen founded Parcel Tankers, Inc. in 1959 and pioneered the global trade for liquid chemicals, ultimately building what is today the world's largest chemical tanker company, Stolt Tankers. In 1971, he founded Stolthaven Terminals, which today operates 20 bulk-liquid storage facilities
worldwide. In 1972, he founded Stolt Sea Farm, a pioneer in salmon farming, which is recognised today as a leader in high-tech aquaculture, focusing on sole, turbot and sturgeon for caviar. A year later, in 1973, he established Stolt-Nielsen Seaway A/S to provide diving and subsea services to the offshore oil and gas industry in the North Sea, an operation that later evolved into Stolt Offshore, a billion dollar company, now part of Subsea 7.
In 1982, he founded Stolt Tank Containers, now the world's largest tank container operator. He was a co-founder and the first chairman of Det Norske Oljeselskap (DNO).
Mr. Stolt-Nielsen served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stolt-Nielsen Limited since he founded the Company in 1959 until December 15, 2009 when he stepped down as Chairman, but remained as a Director until his retirement in December 2014. He held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Stolt-Nielsen Limited from 1959 until 2000.
Stolt-Nielsen Limited today employs more than 5,000 people in 42 offices around the world.
Mr. Jacob Stolt-Nielsen leaves behind his wife of 58 years, Nadia; two daughters, Siri and Lise; two sons, Jacob B. (a Director of Stolt-Nielsen Limited) and Niels Gregers (a Director and Chief Executive Officer of Stolt-Nielsen Limited), and their families, including 13 grandchildren.