Societe Generale de Transports Maritimes a Vapeur (SGTM) was established in Marseilles and Paris in March, 1865 by Paulin Talabot (1799-1885) primarily to carry iron ore from Bone (Algeria) to Marseille and Sete, as well as a passenger service linking Marseille, Algiers and Oran. A monthly service to Brazil was begun in September 1867 for mail, passenger and cargo services via North African and Spanish ports to the South American ports of Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo and Buenos Aires. The subsidiary company Compagnie de Navigation France-Amerique was set up in 1907, and eight years later a monthly service to the Caribbean began and was later extended to U.S. Gulf ports.