ssMaritime.com
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
Swedish America Line
MS Stockholm
Later names: - Volkerfreundshaft, Volker,
Fridtjof Nansen
Italia I, Italia Prima, Vultur Prima, Caribe
Still sailing at 60 years of age as the MV Athena

The delightful yacht-like MS Stockholm seen as built in 1948
Author’s
private collection
“Rederie Sverige Nordamerika,” which in
1925 became known as the “Swedish American Line” (SAL), was founded by Wilhelm R. Lundgren who saw an
opening for a Swedish shipping line as Sweden
had witnessed a vast number of migrants heading for the Americas.
Then in 1915 SAL
officially established a Trans-Atlantic service when they obtained the fifteen
year old Holland-America Harland & Wolff built liner SS Potsdam, renaming
her SS Stockholm. The 12,600-ton liner departed for SAL’s
first voyage from Gothenburg to New
York on December 11, 1915 and commenced a new and
reputable Trans-Atlantic service for the company. In 1922 she was converted for
oil firing by Gotawerken, at the same time her funnel was also shortened and
she received some other refurbishments.

Postcard of the
ex HAL Potsdam,
Stockholm I
Author’s
private collection
SAL
soon built several grand ships, the Gripsholm and the Kungsholm which set new standards
at sea with their super luxurious interiors. However, by 1925 the migrant trade
dropped significantly and SAL had
to search for a new market. They realized that now they could also transport
families from Scandinavia to visit their relatives in America, as well as bring those now living there
home for a visit and add cruises, which were gaining popularity in the United States.
The services were successful and cruises gained in popularity! But WWII would
soon end all that and SAL ships,
like those from other nations would enter war duties.
The two Stockholm’s
that never were! SAL placed an
order for a 28,000 GRT Stockholm
to be built by “CR Dell’ Adriatico Shipyards” at Monfalcone, Italy. She was launched on May 29, 1938, however, on
December 19 the almost completed liner caught fire due to an electrical short
and she was completely burned out and was declared a total wreck and was duly
scrapped. The next Stockholm (III) was commenced straight after the destruction
of Stockholm (II) and she was launched on March 10, 1940, she was completed in
October 1941. However, by then with the long delays, SAL
had decided against taking delivery of the ship and as the Italians were short
of ships, they took her and named her Sabaudia. She entered the Italian service
as a troop ship, but she was sunk towards the end of the war.
With World War II finally over, Swedish America Line
was in need of a new ship, however the company was now faced with a new set of
problems in relation to the design and the size of the ship required. The first
idea was to follow the previous model and build a ship of a similar size and
grand style, although more modern, one that the company had been successful
with in the past. But it had become obvious; the popularity of air travel was growing
rapidly, thus SAL thought that it
might be wiser to build a smaller ship. There were objections from the chief
executive and from the American branch; however after considerations, SAL finally decided that a smaller ship would be
best for the current Atlantic trade!
In October 1944 the task of building the new ship was
given to the “Gotaverken
shipyards” in Gothenburg and her keel was laid down within six months in
Yard 611. However, no sooner had building commenced ongoing troubles seemed to
follow her. Due to strikes, the laying of her keel was delayed for several
months. Various problems continued, right up to when she was to be launched on September 9, 1946,
it took a long time and great deal of trouble before she was able to start her
journey down towards the water. Some said it “was a bad omen.”
She was delivered to SAL
on February 7, 1948,
and it was obvious to all who saw her that she was very different to the
company’s previous ships. The Swedish America Line ships had established
a reputation of grandiose decorations and spacious passenger accommodation,
whilst the new Stockholm was, due to her size, rather intimate and lacked the
over the top décor of the previous liners, yet in her simplicity she was still
rather tasteful in design and decor.

Postcard of the
yacht-like MS Stockholm
Author’s
private collection
Externally she looked a delight painted in the
traditional Swedish America Line's colours: a white hull, a pale yellow funnel
with a blue shield containing three golden crowns.
Amazingly at the time she was the largest ship to be
built in Sweden, yet became known as the smallest Trans Atlantic Liner for
quite some time due to her mere 11,650 GRT
and a passenger capacity just 395, made up of 113 First Class and 282 Tourist
Class, although there were some interchangeable cabins between First and
Tourist. She carried a crew of 220.
However, SAL
did make sure that she had special features, which was not found on many ships.
All accommodation even the crew’s quarters were located outside and thus
every cabin had a porthole or a window. Especially for the crew, this was
simply “revolutionary.”
On February 21, 1948 the Stockholm finally departed Gothenburg on her
maiden voyage, which had again been greatly delayed. Soon passengers found that
this rather “yacht-like” looking ship had one major fault, she did
not have stabilizers! A small ship in February, in the middle of an Atlantic
winter, is not the most ideal time to head to America in rough weather. The Stockholm I must say did
encounter the worst possible winter storms imaginable, the movement of the ship
was wild and often unpredictable. Tragically during the massive storm one
passenger died. It seemed that Stockholm's
bad luck was following her.

A superb aerial
view of the Stockholm
Author’s
private collection
Then, when the Stockholm
arrived in America, the US branch of
the SAL did not quite welcome the
new ship with open arms either, for they had wanted another grand liner, like
the ones of the past. However, the American company could not see that this
ship in fact had a far greater future ahead of her in the American market than
they could imagine. In the cruise market! There
was something special about this smaller ship, which they had missed whilst
they were to busy thinking about size and grandeur, they forgot the appeal that
the Stockholm
had with her sleek exterior simply yacht-like. Americans took to this
yacht-like ship for she had obviously been built for comfort rather than
luxury. Her superb curved bow gave her long sleek lines and she became much
sought after!
Although the she was the “odd ship” on the
Atlantic, for the next five years Stockholm proved to be very popular,
especially as a cruise ship, thus SAL
decided in 1952 to give her a comprehensive refit, which would include some
rebuilding. The ship's superstructure was enlarged to include additional
passenger cabins as well as a cinema. Upon completion, she was able to
accommodate 568 passengers in 215 cabins. 132 twin bedded cabins, 28 - 3 berth
and 55 - 4 berth. Her tonnage was now registered as being 12,644 GRT. Then more importantly, late in 1955 Stockholm was fitted with stabilizers, which tamed her
notorious rolling during the rough months on the Atlantic,
although SAL did keep her cruising
in more climatic temperatures during those times. In addition, further
accommodations were added forward on Promenade deck. The work was completed
early in 1956, which would be the year that would place the name of the Stockholm in maritime
history forever!

She is seen here after her 1952/3
renovations and her forward extensions
Author’s
private collection
In the late forties the Swedish America Line realized
they were in need of new tonnage and had their architects lay down plans for a
new ship, the 21,141 GRT MS
Kungsholm. The order was placed with the Dutch Shipyard De Schelde in The
Netherlands and she was completed on October 9, 1953. With the success of the
Kungsholm SAL decided to build a
slightly larger version in 1954 and ordered the 23,191 GRT
MS Gripsholm, to be built by the Italian Ansaldo Shipyards. She was completed
and delivered in April 1957. With the arrival of these sleek twin funnelled
liners, Swedish America Line returned to their old days of operating modern
ships with far superior accommodation.
The disastrous collision between the Stockholm and Andrea
Doria
On July 25, 1956 Stockholm
departed New York
on her 103rd eastbound crossing bound for
Gothenburg. Her Captain was, Captain Gunnar Nordensson who was one of SAL’s most experienced senior officer’s
and had been with the industry since 1911.

Italia Lines magnificent T/N Andrea Doria
Author’s
private collection
At 11:10 PM,
in heavy fog in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nantucket, both the Stockholm and the Italian
liner Andrea Doria collided in what was to become one of history's most famous
maritime disasters.
Inquiries later revealed that officers aboard the Andrea Doria had used improper radar procedures,
and had made a sudden turn to port (the
left) during the moments prior to the collision rather than
to starboard (the right)
being the proper “rule of the road” for a head on crossing at sea.
Obviously visibility with the thick fog did not help the situation that night.
Thus what occurred is that the Stockholm
rammed the Andrea Doria about
amidships on the starboard side, which quickly started to flood the engine
room. In addition, the enquiry was later told that some of the watertight
bulkheads in that area were non operational on the Andrea Doria that night.
Although the Stockholm
it was decided that the also did not uphold all procedures, mainly the use of
their fog horn, although they were at the time not in the fog, but were about
to enter it where the Andrea Doria was located. Also, both ships continued at
speeds too fast considering the conditions. Although, it was deemed that the
crew of Andrea Doria would have to take the major share of the blame,
considering they did steer the ship to port, rather than starboard according to
regulations.
Although the vast majority of passengers and crew
survived the collision, the much larger Andrea Doria capsized and sank during
the next morning. Due to the collision lifeboats on the starboard side of the
ship were unusable. However, other ships in the region responded and provided
assistance, which averted a large loss of life. Sadly,
five crewmembers on the Stockholm
were killed instantly with several trapped in the wrecked bow.
The crippled Stockholm
assisted in the rescue and ended up carrying 327 of Andrea Doria’s passengers and 245
crewmembers, in addition to her own passengers and crew. After the Andrea Doria
finally sank, the Stockholm sailed to New York under her own
power and arrived the next day, July 27.

Andrea Doria is slowly capsizing to
starboard and eventually succumbs
Author’s
private collection
In total 40
lives were lost on the Italian liner as well as 5 crew members on the Stockholm, which had its
bow sheered off. Swedish American Line agreed to cover the $1
million replacement of the Stockholm’s bow, whilst Italia Line had
bear the cost of the loss of the Andrea Doria.

As can be seen Stockholm’s bow was
completely sheered off and had sunk
Author’s
private collection

The Stockholm
managed to remain afloat thanks to the watertight bulkheads that were located
between holds one and two.
Author’s
private collection
The
bow was repaired at the Bethlehem Steel Company Shipbuilding Division in New York just over three months later and the Stockholm returned to her
duties.

A map of the collision area and showing the ships that came to the
rescue

MS Stockholm is seen here in her final days
with additional extensions on her fore Promenade deck
Author’s
private collection
Although Stockholm
continued on her regular schedules and cruises, she remained the “odd
ship” of the fleet, for she simply could not offer the same high
standards as the newer and larger Gripsholm and Kungsholm. Thus,
several years later SAL decided to
dispose of the Stockholm.
Technical details – MS Stockholm -
1948
Built by: Gotaverken AB
Gothenburg, Sweden
Official
Hull No: 8926
Ordered
on: October 1944
Yard: 611
Launched & named: September
9, 1946
Delivered: February 7, 1948
Maiden Voyage: February
21, 1948 – Gothenburg / New
York
IMO No: 5383304
Gross Tonnage: 11,650 GRT / 4,700 DW – (12,644 GRT
/ 4,800 DW in 1952)
Length: 160.8m
– 525.2ft
Breadth: 21.4m
– 69ft
Draft: 7.9m
– 25.11ft
Main Engine: 2
x 8 Cylinder Wärtsilä Diesels
Propellers: 2
X 12,000 BHP
Speed: 19
knots max
Stabilizers: no – (yes 1952)
Decks: Eight
Passenger Lifts: Two
Passenger Capacity: 113 First Class and 282
Tourist Class (1948)
Crew: 220
**************************************************
After several failed attempts, she was sold on May 15, 1959 to
East German “Freier Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund,” an
East German Union Movement Organisation.

Postcard of the MS
Volkerfreundschaft
Author’s
private collection
After
a refit she was renamed Volkerfreundschaft on January 3, 1960. She operated as a trade
union cruise ship for the next twenty years mainly visiting Eastern bloc
countries as well as Cuba.
In addition she was also chartered out to Stena Line on and off from 1966, and
thus she visited homeland on many occasions.

Original postcard of the MS Volkerfreundschaft
Author’s
private collection
In April 1985 she was sold to “Neptunus Rex
Enterprises” and her name was shortened to Volker. She first was laid up
at Holmestrand, until December when she sailed to Southampton.
However she returned to Oslo
in the same month as she was chartered by Norwegian interests to become an
accommodation ship for refugees. She was renamed Fridtjof Nansen.

She is seen here as the Fridtjof Nansen accommodation ship
Photograph
by & © Hans Jurgen Amberg
**************************************************
Four years later, May 1989, she was sold to the
Italian Star Lauro Lines who hoped to refit the liner to become a luxury cruise
ship but laid her up. She was finally renamed, Italia I in 1993.
In
October 1994 she was taken over by Nina Cia. di Navigazione who renamed the
ship Italia Prima. They decided to completely rebuild the ship retaining only
the magnificent solid riveted steel ice strengthened hull and made it into a
luxury cruise ship! Thus, only the superbly built ice strengthened hull of the
original Stockholm
remained.

Italia Prima seen in August 1994, and is
obviously close to completion
From a newspaper clipping –
photographer unknown
Italia Prima was fitted with
new diesel engines, machinery, a modern streamlined superstructure, and funnel.
Her spacious public rooms and cabins are all first class and were constructed
whilst the classic lines of the Stockholm’s
hull was retained.

MS Italia Prima
seen at Darling Harbour Sydney in 1997 whilst on a round the world cruise
Photograph by & © Reuben
Goossens
In the mid 1997 the 16,144 ton Italia Prima conducted
its first world cruise, which included inaugural visits to Australian ports
including Sydney,
when the author had the opportunity to visit this superb ship. Italia Prima was
a popular ship and was frequently under charter including operators such as the
German Neckermann Seereisen, who today operate a fleet of ships. In 1998 Italia
Prima was chartered to Valtur Tourist Organization and the ship was renamed
Valtur Prima, however, this operation was short lived.

A Vultur Prima publicity
image
In December 2001, Italia Prima was chartered by
Festival Cruises and renamed Caribe; however Festival Cruises’ cruise
operations did not prove to be very successful and she was renamed Athena in
January 2004 and was returned to her owners.
Later in 2004 Athena joined the ever growing Classic
International Cruises fleet and now flies the Portuguese flag. Having had an
extensive refit MV Athena has entered service with the company and she spends
most of the year cruising in and around Europe with the Mediterranean
always being popular. Late 2008 she will undertake a line voyage for Australia via the Suez
Canal and commence a Summer series of cruises out of Fremantle for
2008/2009, which over the past four years has been operated by the popular MV
Funchal.

MV Athena
Image provided by Classic
International Cruises
Knowing the magnificent shape this distinguished 60
year old lady is in, I am sure that she will be with us for some time yet!
Page
Two – Photo Page
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