The Innovative Managerial Role of Jenő de Polnay as the Key Element to the Success of the Atlantica Sea Navigation Company within the Hungarian Maritime Fleet (1907–1914)

Abstract

The Atlantica Sea Navigation Company was the most innovative of the Hungarian sea navigation companies. In my study, I shall present the company’s operations from its founding in 1907 until the beginning of the Great War in 1914. I shall greatly emphasise the analysis of how the company led by Jenő Polnay de Tiszasüly was able to grow in only 7 years into a shipping company that shipped with 12 modern steamships. Thanks to his previous entrepreneurial experience Polnay managed to join the Hungarian State and the Austro-Hungarian Bank to found the company. After this, he had British shipyards design steamships that were able to transport large capacity timber at low bearing depth. He then concluded beneficial deals with the Hungarian State Railways and the Transylvanian and Russian suppliers. The first application of the ’quick despatch’ principle in Hungary is also bound to the name Polnay. Atlantica shipped cheaper if the ships were loaded swifter. Based on the sources of the Rijeka State Archives, I shall investigate the question how the innovative managerial skills of Jenő de Polnay attributed to the efficiency of Atlantica Co. in goods transportation and how the company became the most successful Hungarian tramp trade company of the beginning of the 20th century.