Daniel K. Ludwig Biography

Daniel K. Ludwig

He went into business for himself at 19, he continuously upgraded and improved the services he offered until National Bulk Carriers had become the largest shipping corporation in the U.S. Having started out by transporting molasses around the Great Lakes, he soon was transporting oil around the world. His shipyards pioneered the use of welding rather than riveting the hulls of ships, thereby saving valuable time during World War II when demand for ships soared. By the end of the war his shipping company was the nation's fifth-largest, and he leveraged his equity in these ships to finance more ships and to promote the development and use of modern supertankers. He used his sizeable shipping fortune to diversify his holdings to include stocks and real estate around the world.