Asiatic Steam Navigation Company Limited

The Company was formed in 1878, under the auspices of the Liverpool house of Turner and Co and their Calcutta associates, Turner Morrison and Company, to develop steam communication in the Bay of Bengal. It received the active support of Thomas Ismay and William Imrie of the White Star Line.

The ships were cross traders, not based in the UK, serving the coastal trade between Calcutta and Bombay: between Calcutta, Chittagong, Rangoon and Moulmein: and later between Calcutta and Java, via Malayan ports. Another departure was the acquisition and continuous operation of the Indian Government mail contract between Calcutta and the Andaman Islands, which included responsibility for the transport of convicts to port Blair.

Relations with British India, many of whose ships were employed on the same route, were competitive throughout, although dialogue over freight rate levels and sailings was generally maintained.

In 1931 the company was restructured in order to cope with the slump. In 1934, in recognition of the growth of nationalism in both Burma and India, locally based companies were set up in both of these countries. At this time negotiations with British India broke down and there was a rate war which was resolved after about six months by a tripartite agreement between Asiatic, B. I. and Scindia (the Indian national line).

British India achieved a 51% interest in Asiatic by the end of 1934, at which time Ismay's connection terminated.

The company was absorbed into the P and O group in 1971 and effectively ceased trading in 1977.