The club was founded 1 June 1899 and soon merged with
VfB 1899 Lehe to become
FC Bremerhaven-Lehe. In 1917
FC merged with
SC Sparta Bremerhaven to become
Bremerhaven-Lehe SC Sparta until, in 1919,
VfB left to resume play as a separate team. After World War II occupying Allied authorities ordered the disbanding of most organizations in Germany, including sports and football clubs. A combined Bremerhaven side was formed late in 1945 as
SG Lehe-Nord which was renamed
ATS Bremerhaven in 1947. Two years later in 1949
SC Sparta Bremerhaven re-established an independent club out of
ATS, followed by the re-establishment of
VfB Lehe in 1953.
ATS took on its original identity as
FC Bremerhaven in 1992. The club's best recent appearances have been in the Regionalliga Nord (III) in 1994–95 and 1999–2000 and in the Oberliga Niedersachsen/Bremen (IV) through the late 90s and in 2000–01 and 2002–03. They currently play in the
Bremen-Liga (V), where they finished first in 2007–08 but were denied a Regionalliga licence. The club was dissolved on 30 June 2012, its football section joined
Sparta Bremerhaven, which continues to play in the Bremen-Liga. ==Honours==