Red "D" Line

The Fleets

This page covers Atlantic and Caribbean Steam Navigation Co./ Red "D" Line

Founded in 1881 and was a successor to Boulton, Bliss and Dallett & Co. who operated services to Venezuela. Commonly known as the Red "D" Line as they flew a white houseflag with a large red D in the center. Passenger services operated between New York, San Juan, Curacao, La Guaira and Puerto Cabello and returned to New York via Curacao and San Juan. Another service operated to Mayaguez, La Guaira, Curacao and Maracaibo. The company and its services were taken over by the Grace Line in 1937.

Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.

Notes added by Christopher Dallett:

I did want to make a correction regarding company name. Atlantic and Caribbean Navigation Company was a successor to Dallett, Boulton and Bliss & Co. The 'D' in house flag reflected the primary partner in the company which was the Dallett family. The Boulton family were the Venezuelan agents to the company; and the Bliss family were partners through marriage to the Dallett family. Prior to that the shipping line was the principal operation of Dallett & Co. of Philadelphia. The shipping line was originally founded by John Dallett with his brother, Thomas in 1820 in Philadelphia.

Before that, John Dallett hired boats to ship coffee from Venezuela beginning in 1810. The Red 'D' line is still considered to be the oldest and longest running merchant shipping line in American maritime history. My grandfather, John Dallett IV was the last president of the line. He subsequently went on to create Trident Trawling Co. of New London, Ct. and Brooklyn, NY. He created the largest NE fleet of fishing trawlers during WWII. The trawlers were built of wood by Wilbur Morse, Jr. in Thomaston, Me. Many of the trawlers are still in service in the New Bedford fleet.

Red D Line started shipping operations between Philadelphia and Venezuela under its house flag in 1820. Its founder John Dallett had previously imported coffee and other raw materials on leased vessels beginning in 1802. The formation of the Atlantic and Caribbean Navigation Co. in 1881 occurred when operations formally moved from Philadelphia to New York. My grandfather, John Dallett V was the last President of the Line. He subsequently formed Trident Fishing Co. of Brooklyn, NY, New London, Ct., and S. Thomaston, Me. Many of the trawlers he ran were built by Wilbur Morse, Sr. in S. Thomaston, Me. The Red D Line, I believe, still holds the honour of being the longest running shipping line in U.S. maritime history at a hundred and nineteen years. 1939 was its last year in operation.

Sincerely,
C.J. Dallett

Ships