Smit Internationale N.V. (or Smit International) is a Dutch company operating in the maritime sector.
Founded in 1842 by Fop Smit, it provided towing services in the Port of Rotterdam. Within its first decades, it branched into shipbuilding and, just after the start of the twentieth century, salvage services. The firm developed an international presence, such as its Singapore-based subsidiary in 1975, and its acquisition of Costain Group's Land & Marine business in 1996.
By 2009, inclusive of its subsidiaries and the joint ventures with controlling stakes, Smit International operated a fleet of 408 ships. Smit International has undertaken the salvage of various vessels, including Costa Concordia, Full City, FSO Safer, MOL Comfort and Kursk.
In 2010, it was acquired by Boskalis and delisted from the Euronext Amsterdam.
History
The company dates back to the early 1840s and the undertakings of Fop Smit, who operated the paddle steamer Kinderdijk to safely guided various other vessels into the Port of Rotterdam.