Unatra

[1][2] Sonatra was the successor to the Marine de Haut-Congo, which had launched its first steamer, the En Avant, on Ngaliema Bay on 3 December 1881.

[1] The Minister of the Colonies, Henri Carton de Tournai, asked General Frederik-Valdemar Olsen to retire so he could take over management of Unatra.

[2] Olsen undertook various reforms to stop corruption, ensure schedules were met and improve financial management.

[2] During the Great Depression the market collapsed for products such as timber, cocoa, coffee, rubber, cotton, palm-oil, palm nuts, native rice and sesame.

Effective 1 July 1931 the government ordered drastic cuts to the rates for transporting these products to make them more competitive.

This gave rise to the Oscar Chinn Case in which a private company operated by a British subject, was unable to compete and brought a claim against the Belgian government that went to the Permanent Court of International Justice.

[1] Otraco Office des Transports Coloniaux) was formed on 20 April 1935 as a public institution to promote economic reconstruction after the depression.