European Ferries Group (EFG)

European Ferries Group plc was a company that operated in passenger and freight ferries, harbour operation and property management in the United Kingdom and the United States. It was taken over by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) and renamed P&O European Ferries in 1987. The European Ferries Group was incorporated in 1935 as Monument Securities Ltd, becoming a public limited company in 1949. In 1957, Monument Securities bought a 51% stake in Townsend Car Ferries Ltd and in 1959 acquired the rest in a full takeover. The same year Monument Securities changed its name to George Nott Industries Ltd.In 1968, George Nott Industries purchased the Otto Thoresen Shipping Company and its subsidiary Thoresen Car Ferries Ltd. As a result of this acquisition it changed its name to European Ferries Ltd. In 1971 the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company Ltd (trading as Transport Ferry Service) was acquired from the National Freight Corporation. All three of the companies under European Ferries used the name Townsend Thoresen to market their ferry services.

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