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{{short description|UK shipping company}}
{{Coord|53|24|5.9|N|2|58|51.3|W|display=title}}
{{Primary sources|date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Bibby Line
| logo = 
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| foundation = 1807
| location = [[Liverpool]], United Kingdom
| key_people = Jebb Kitchen ([[Chief executive officer|MD]])
| industry = [[Shipping]]
| owner = Bibby Line Group Ltd
| homepage = [https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/ Bibby Line homepage]
}}
[[File:StateLibQld 1 111600 Charles Dickens (ship).jpg|thumb|The {{SS|Danube|1856|2}} was a steam and sailing ship built for Bibby Line in 1856 and sold to [[Leyland Line]] in 1873]]
'''Bibby Line''' is a UK company concerned with [[ship transport|shipping]] and marine operations.

Its parent company, Bibby Line Group Limited, can be traced back to John Bibby who founded the company in 1807. The company along with the group is based in [[Liverpool]].<ref>[http://www.edumaritime.com/merchant-marine-crew-career/bibby-ship-management-group Merchant Navy Career with Bibby]</ref>
==History==
[[File:StateLibQld 1 108816 Derbyshire (ship).jpg|thumb|The cargo steamship ''Derbyshire'' was built by [[Harland and Wolff]] in 1897, survived the First World War and was scrapped in 1931]]
[[File:Hmhs Oxfordshire FL17221.jpg|thumb|The Bibby Line passenger ship {{SS|Oxfordshire|1912|2}}, built in 1912, serving as a [[hospital ship]] in the Second World War]]
[[File:TSS Fairstar.jpg|thumb|The cruise ship {{ship|TSS|Fairstar||2}}, which was built in 1957 as the Bibby Line [[troopship]] ''Oxfordshire'']]
[[File:Monks Ferry Drydock, Birkenhead - geograph.org.uk - 198146.jpg|thumb|''Bibby Sapphire'' is a [[diving support vessel]] built in 2005]]
The Bibby Line was founded in 1807 by the first [[John Bibby (businessman)|John Bibby]] (1775–1840).{{cn|date=August 2025}}

After John Bibby was attacked and murdered on 19 July 1840, his sons John and James took ownership of the Bibby Line.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shipping Line Histories - Bibby Line Group|website=The Ocean Liner Virtual Museum|url=http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/Bibby_Line_history.html|access-date=2023-08-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=RECORDS OF BIBBY LINE|website=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]]|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/b999c5ff-16d0-4a14-802a-1c4705638871|access-date=2023-08-13}}</ref>

It was one of the first businesses in the world to fit its entire fleet with radio, by the British based [[Radio Communication Company]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bulletin of the British Vintage Wireless Society Vol.23 No.3 |url=https://www.bvws.org.uk/publications/bulletins/pdf/BVWS_Bulletin_23_3.pdf |publisher=bvws.org |access-date=23 July 2021 |date=1998}}</ref>

Along with other British ship owners, it endured hard economic conditions in the 1970s and 1980s, but survived through diversification into floating accommodation. The group diversified in the 1980s into separate divisions, including [[Bibby Financial Services]] which was formed in 1982. The parent company is now called [https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/ Bibby Line Group], and is a £800 million global business, operating in 14 countries, employing 4,000 people in sectors including retail, financial services, distribution, shipping, marine and infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/ |title=(Homepage) |website=Bibby Line Group |language=en-GB |access-date=10 November 2020}}</ref>

Since 2007, Bibby Line Group and its employees have donated over £10 million and thousands of volunteering hours to over 1,000 charitable causes.<ref>{{Cite news |url= https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/social-responsibility/#GivingBack |title=Social Responsibility |work=Bibby Line Group |access-date=10 November 2020 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2008, the Bibby Line Group continued to diversify with the purchase of the construction asset hire company Garic UK. Bibby Line Group’s investment enabled Garic to remain a key market player, in a competitive sector. Currently, Garic has four sites across the UK and is one of the most trusted specialized plant and welfare facility providers in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Story |url=https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/about/heritage/ |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=Bibby Line Group |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In July 2023, an open letter signed by over fifty [[Non-governmental organisation|NGOs]] and campaigners, including the [[Refugee Council]], called Bibby Marine, as owner of the [[Bibby Stockholm]], to acknowledge its founder [[John Bibby (businessman)|John Bibby]]'s links<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - Database |url=https://www.slavevoyages.org/voyage/database |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=www.slavevoyages.org}}</ref> to the [[Atlantic slave trade]] and to end the practice of containing asylum seekers on its vessels.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santos-Pedro |first=Nick |date=2023-07-03 |title=An Open Letter to Bibby Marine |url=https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/latest/news/an-open-letter-to-bibby-marine/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Refugee Council |language=en-US}}</ref> Later that month, a ''Guardian'' report highlighted safety concerns on board the Bibby Stockholm, including potential overcrowding along with narrow corridors and a lack of lifejackets on board.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |last2=Taylor |first2=Diane |date=2023-07-27 |title=First 50 people coming to Bibby Stockholm asylum barge despite safety worries |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/27/first-50-people-coming-to-bibby-stockholm-asylum-barge-despite-safety-worries |access-date=2023-09-09 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> ''[[The Times]]'' also reported there were concerns about fire safety, noting it could become 'a floating Grenfell'.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dathan |first=Matt |date=2023-09-09 |title=Bibby Stockholm 'could become floating Grenfell' |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/bibby-stockholm-could-become-floating-grenfell-pzqg2jtnc |access-date=2023-09-09 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> On 11 August 2023 legionella was found to be on board and a water sample taken on 15 August 2023 confirmed this to be of 'the most deadly strain' of legionella pneumophila, found in the ship's kitchen's galley pot wash hose.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Diane |date=2023-09-08 |title=Deadliest legionella strain found onboard Bibby Stockholm |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/08/legionella-found-onboard-the-bibby-stockholm-is-most-deadly-strain |access-date=2023-09-09 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Ships==
Bibby Line has a fleet of [[Barracks ship|accommodation barges]] and [[Platform supply vessel|Service Operation Vessels]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fleet Locations – Bibby Marine |url=https://www.bibbymarine.com/about-us/fleet-locations/ |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=www.bibbymarine.com}}</ref>

===Current fleet===
Vessels currently operated by Bibby Line include:

* {{ship||Bibby Sapphire||}} [[Diving support vessel]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Forsyth |first=Ian |date=2010-04-16 |title=Bibby acquires Sapphire in £34m deal |url=https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/19284/bibby-acquires-sapphire-in-34m-deal/ |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=Energy Voice |language=en-US}}</ref>
* {{ship||Bibby Stockholm||}} Accommodation barge<ref>{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Diane |date=2023-07-11 |title=Housing asylum seekers on barge may only save £10 a person daily, report says |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/11/housing-asylum-seekers-on-barge-may-only-save-10-a-person-daily-report-says |access-date=2023-07-16 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

===Former fleet===
Vessels that have previously operated for Bibby Line include:

* {{MV|Brixham|2009|2}}
* ''Cheshire'' - operated by Bibby Transport suffered a cargo fire in August 2017 off the coast of the Canary Islands during a passage from Norway to Thailand with a cargo of ammonium nitrate fertilizer. The cargo in all five of the ship’s cargo holds burned for two straight weeks. Shipping Watch reports that 'toxic gases had M/V Cheshire's cargo exploding and made it rain fertilizer'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-27 |title=Toxic gases had M/V Cheshire's cargo exploding and made it rain fertilizer |url=https://shippingwatch.com/carriers/Bulk/article13591948.ece |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=shippingwatch.com}}</ref> In 2021 the Norwegian Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that crew negligence was a key factor in the loss of the Cheshire and ordered Bibby Transport and Singapore-based operator J. Lauritzen to pay compensation and costs totalling around US$30m.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norwegian court rules crew negligence key factor in loss of Cheshire ordering Bibby Transport to pay compensation |url=https://www.nautilusint.org/en/news-insight/news/norwegian-court-rules-crew-negligence-key-factor-in-loss-of-cheshire-ordering-bibby-transport-to-pay-compensation/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=www.nautilusint.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=J Lauritzen Singapore Pte Ltd v Yara Asia Pte Ltd {{!}} CML CMI Database |url=https://cmlcmidatabase.org/j-lauritzen-singapore-pte-ltd-v-yara-asia-pte-ltd |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=cmlcmidatabase.org}}</ref> Safety4Sea reports: 'Ruling that Bibby and Lauritzen were liable to pay damages, the court said it had found evidence of a ‘''negligent breach of clear and repeated instructions’'' by the ship’s crew, who had failed to ensure that all heat sources in the cargo holds were disconnected before loading. The judgment further states that a light by a ladder in cargo hold 4 had probably been left on from the time of loading and, most likely, had not been disconnected until four days after that,– by which time the heat around the lamp had started the chemical reaction. ''"The instructions were to disconnect the power supply, not just to turn off the switches. That such disconnection probably only took place after four days is in itself clearly reprehensible,"'' the court pointed out. The court also decided that the crew were negligent in failing to act more quickly when the first signs of problems with the cargo had been detected.'<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-24 |title=Norwegian court decided crew negligence a key factor in loss of Cheshire |url=https://safety4sea.com/norwegian-court-decided-crew-negligence-a-key-factor-in-loss-of-cheshire/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=SAFETY4SEA |language=en-US}}</ref> 
* {{MV|Derbyshire||2}} - Lost on 9 September 1980 during [[Typhoon Orchid (1980)|Typhoon Orchid]] with all 44 hands onboard. Largest British vessel ever lost at sea.
* {{MV|Harlington|2009|2}}
* {{MV|Herefordshire|1905|2}} - wrecked on [[Cardigan Island]] in 1934 while on the way to be scrapped<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail]] |title=Storm of 1934 changed Cardigan Island forever |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/storm-1934-changed-cardigan-island-1882751 |date=30 December 2010}}</ref>
* {{MV|Hertfordshire|1995|2}}
* {{MV|Kiel|2010|2}}
* {{MV|Kowloon Bridge||2}}
* ''Leicestershire'' - sold, renamed {{SS|Heraklion||2}} and sunk in the [[Aegean Sea]] in 1966
*{{SS|Oxfordshire|1912|3}} - official number 131454, recorded travelling  Liverpool - Marseilles - Port Said - Colombo - Rangoon, departing Liverpool 2 March 1923. [UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890–1960, Liverpool, 2 March 1923]
*{{SS|Oxfordshire|1957|3}}
* {{MV|Rmeil|2010|2}}
* {{MV|Shropshire|2009|2}}
* ''Somersetshire''<ref>{{cite web|publisher=uboat.net|title=HMS Worcestershire (F 29)|url=https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/856.html|access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref> 
* ''[[HMS Worcestershire|Worcestershire]]''<ref>{{cite web|publisher=uboat.net|title=HMHS Somersetshire|url=https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1509.html|access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>
* {{SS|Yorkshire|1920|2}} - sunk by {{GS|U-37|1937|2}} in September 1939 with the loss of 58 lives<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/yorkshire.html |title=Loss of the Yorkshire and the City of Mandalay |work=Old Mersey Times}}</ref>

== Current operations ==

As of 2023 the Bibby Line labels itself a diverse company which has three separate services split into: Financial Services, Marine Services, and infrastructure applications. These businesses within the Bibby line group, operate across multiple countries and currently it is recorded to employ 1300 colleagues. It is now recording management of 1 billion pounds in funds.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Bibby Line Group |language=en-GB}}</ref>

After suffering through COVID-19 and ultimately undertaking a restructuring it was recorded that generally after working at a net loss they were able to run more profitably. In reports sent to the Uk companies house it can be seen that on December 31, 2021, the group made a net profit of £35.5m, compared with a net loss of £29.9m in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-23 |title=Bibby Line Group returns to profit following key disposals linked to realignment {{!}} TheBusinessDesk.com |url=https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/2102391-bibby-line-group-returns-to-profit-following-key-disposals-linked-to-realignment |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=North West |language=en}}</ref>

=== Leadership ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Generation
!MD
!Management tenure
!Key events
|-
|First
|John Bibby
|1807–1840
|Creation of the Bibby Line in 1807
|-
|
|
|
|Built fleet of 18 vessels
|-
|
|
|
|Established Mediterranean trade
|-
|
|
|
|Some trade with Bombay and Canton
|-
|Second
|James (son)
|1840–1897
|Fleet of 23 steam ships by 1865
|-
|
|
|
|Association with Harland and Wolff
|-
|
|
|
|James ‘retires’ in 1973
|-
|
|
|
|James establishes limited liability
company in 1890
|-
|
|
|
|Separation of owners and managers
|-
|Third
|Arthur
(nephew of James)
|1897–1935
|Consolidates links with Burma
|-
|
|
|
|Seven ships less than 10 years old in 1914
|-
|
|
|
|Fleet requisitioned for World War I
|-
|
|
|
|Post-war turbulence
|-
|
|
|
|Focus on Burma trade
|-
|Fourth
|Harold
(Arthur's son)
|1935–1965
|Fleet requisitioned for World War II
|-
|
|
|
|Decline of Far East trade
|-
|
|
|
|Containerisation and air travel
|-
|Fifth
|Derek
(Harold's son)
|1965–1985
|Two bulk carriers from Japan in 1965
|-
|
|
|
|Borrowed finance
|-
|
|
|
|Oil shocks of 1970s
|-
|
|
|
|Marine diversification
|-
|
|
|
|Regained financial control
|-
|
|
|
|Appointed Simon Sherrard MD
|-
|
|
|
|Diversification into financial
services and logistics
|-
|Sixth
|Michael
(Derek's son)
|2000 to present
|Continued diversification
|-
|
|
|
|Rapid growth of the business
|}
<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jones |first1=Oswald |last2=Ghobadian |first2=Abby |last3=O'Regan |first3=Nicholas |last4=Antcliff |first4=Valerie |date=September 2013 |title=Dynamic capabilities in a sixth-generation family firm: Entrepreneurship and the Bibby Line |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00076791.2012.744590 |journal=Business History |language=en |volume=55 |issue=6 |pages=910–941 |doi=10.1080/00076791.2012.744590 |s2cid=153480048 |issn=0007-6791|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Since 1965 Bibby has come into its modern era of leadership with the fifth generation, Derek Bibby becoming MD. He led diversification into new areas specifically financial services and infrastructure applications. Following his retirement Simon Sherrard was appointed the first non-family managing director and helped continue to modernize and drive diversification before handing over to the sixth generation Michael Bibby in 2000. Since then Bibby Line has continued to rapidly grow and diversify further and Michael stepped back from managing director to chairman. Currently the board is composed of 5 members; Jonathan Lewis the Executive Director (Group Managing Director, ), and the Non-Executive Directors including: Sir Michael Bibby Bt. DL (Chairman), David Anderson (Senior Independent), Susan Searle, and Geoffrey Bibby.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board & Executive Team |url=https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/about/senior-team/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Bibby Line Group |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Financial Services ===
[[Bibby Financial Services]] was set up in 1982, is seen to be the UK’s largest independent invoice finance company. It offers services providing factoring and invoice discounting financial support for growing [[Small and medium-sized enterprises|SME's]]. Through It aims to “help businesses around the world grow, combining international scope with expert local knowledge”.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bibby Financial Services |url=https://bibbylinegroup.co.uk/companies/bibby-financial/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Bibby Line Group |language=en-GB}}</ref> In a report released in 2023 it note that it employed 900 people and had expanded to nine different countries. After a restructuring of the company in 2020 turnover was reported to have increased by 2022 from £132.4m to £150.5m for 2022, while its pre-tax profits increased from £255,000 to £9.4m.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Jon |date=2023-07-06 |title=Bibby Financial Services eyeing 'sustainable profitability' |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/professional-services/bibby-financial-services-eyeing-sustainable-27258574 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Business Live |language=en}}</ref>

=== Marine Services ===
Bibby Marine Limited, established in 1982, currently has 1 "Wavemaster" that can operate up to 30 days at a time and 1 Bibby Challenge that contains 337 rooms known as the Bibby Stockholm. This has led to the current dominant trait of the Bibby Line fleet being the application of these vessels for “walk to work service” where special operations ships, "Wavemasters", can take off shore workers out to their remote locations. Part of this then also extends into floating off shore worker accommodation locations providing floating barges where workers can live on or off duty. These marine services aim to provide cost effective and environmentally friendly options for workers on large scale marine infrastructure projects. There have been large controversies with Bibby Stockholm which aims to provide support housing for asylum seekers. Claims of prison like conditions were leveled and according to the Financial Times, governments were only saving £9.28 per person per day.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clare |first=Horatio |date=2023-07-22 |title=A boat to stop the boats? Bibby Stockholm and the battle over asylum |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/ed6d313c-81f0-418e-89bd-c15c8c87761d |access-date=2023-10-09}}</ref>

=== Infrastructure ===
Existing for the last 30 years and employing 230 people, "Garic" has worked in the welfare and plant hire market. This is through the “hire and sell welfare accommodation, modular buildings, plant and storage products, tower lights, environmental solutions, wheel washing, dust control and site shelters”. These can be set up, serviced and broken down by Garic and are generally aimed towards fields like construction, infrastructure, industrial, house building, water and waste, power, utilities and renewables and commercial property sectors. They have moved into sustainable sectors as is one of their goals as seen in an article where Garic promotes sustainable solutions to business growth on the ground.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-03 |title=Putting your business on track with sustainable site solutions |url=https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/putting-your-business-on-track-with-sustainable-site-solutions/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=RailBusinessDaily |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Transport}}
*[[Bibby baronets]]
*[[Bibby Financial Services]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.bibbylinegroup.co.uk/ Bibby Line Group] – official website
*{{cite web |url= http://fp.redduster.f9.co.uk/BIBBY.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20031204165942/http://fp.redduster.f9.co.uk/BIBBY.htm |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2003-12-04 |title=Bibby Line |work=The Red Duster}} – unofficial history

[[Category:Companies based in Liverpool]]
[[Category:Shipping companies of England]]
[[Category:Shipping companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1807]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1807]]