In 1900 Jørgen Breder Stang (1874–1950), co-owner of a lumber company started by his father Mads Wiel Stang, established the forwarding company J.B.Stang, at Kristiania (known as Oslo from 1925), capital of Norway. In 1906 he formed the shipowning subsidiary A/S Standard to operate a service between Norway and the UK, notably bringing woodpulp to Bristol Channel ports.
The Stang ships were given names starting with ‘Sta’, while the company’s flag was blue with a blue S on a white cross. The ships’ funnels were black, with the house flag painted oncompany was taken over by his son-in-law, Nils Astrup (1901-1972). From 1938 Astrup was in partnership with Thomas Fearnley (1880-1961) as Fearnley & Astrup, manager of Skibs A/S Marina. This was one of several companies within the Fearnley & Eger group, of which the shortsea trader Dampskibs Interressentskabet (D/S I/S) Garonne was an old-established subsidiary.
