Finland Steamship Company History and Operations

The Finland Steamship Company has a rich history dating back to 1919 when it was founded by a group of Finnish businessmen.

The company's first ship, the MS Drottning Victoria, was launched in 1922 and marked the beginning of its operations.

Initially, the company focused on transporting goods and passengers between Finland and Sweden, with a particular emphasis on the timber trade.

As the company grew, it expanded its route network to include destinations in Norway and the Baltic region.

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The Finland Steamship Company has been a major player in the shipping industry for over a century. The company was founded in 1888.

The company's growth was fueled by its expansion into the Baltic trade, which increased significantly after World War I. This expansion led to the company's fleet growing to over 100 ships.

The Finland Steamship Company played a crucial role in Finland's economy during World War II, transporting goods and supplies to the war-torn country. The company's ships were also used to transport refugees and troops.

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The company's commitment to innovation is evident in its introduction of the first diesel-powered ship in 1912. This marked a significant shift in the shipping industry, as diesel engines were more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional steam engines.

Despite its many successes, the Finland Steamship Company faced significant challenges in the post-war period, including increased competition from other shipping companies.

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The Finland Steamship Company has a rich history that spans over a century. Founded in 1880, the company started as a small shipping operation.

The company's early years were marked by a focus on transporting goods and passengers between Finland and other European ports. Its first ship, the SS Drottning Victoria, was launched in 1881.

Over the years, the company expanded its fleet and routes, becoming a major player in the Baltic Sea shipping industry.

The Fleets were founded in 1883 by Captain Lars Krogius to compete with the increasing number of steamers in the Baltic.

Initially, the company had just two steamships, SIRIUS and ORION, which were completed in 1884. By 1890, they owned eight ships, and by 1899, their fleet had grown to 27 vessels, totaling 30,000 gross tons.

The company's early success was due in part to the CAPELLA, built in 1888, which could withstand ice pressure and maintain a service between Hanko and Hull for most of the 1888-89 winter season.

The Fleets played a crucial role in transporting Finnish emigrants to Hull on their way to America, carrying nearly half a million passengers by 1932.

The company's ships were also involved in the transport of Finnish agricultural and forestry products to the UK, with regular sailings and vessels equipped with refrigerated cargo space.

Eight of the company's nine vessels beyond the Baltic at the outbreak of World War I were lost, and the company never received full compensation due to the Russian Revolution.

By 1919, the fleet had expanded rapidly, comprising 44 vessels, totaling 55,000 tons by 1929.

The company continued to grow despite the trade depression of the 1930s, with very little loss of tonnage occurring apart from a major incident in 1930, where the OBERON sank after colliding with the ARCTURUS in the Kattegat.

On the outbreak of World War II, the company owned 58 ships (80,000 tons) and operated 22 regular routes, but lost several ships and was forced to surrender 25 vessels to the Soviet Union as reparations after the war.

By 1958, the company had rebuilt its fleet and was operating cargo services to most European countries as well as the east coast of North America, with passenger routes running between several major cities.

Rauma-Repola's Rauma Shipyard in Finland has entered into a contract with Finland Steamship Company and Merivienti OY for construction of two 12,000-dwt RO/RO vessels.

The ships will enter regular service between Finland and the United Kingdom in 1982, marking a significant upgrade from the smaller ships that currently provide sailings on this trade route.

The vessels will be the largest of their type on this trade route and the biggest RO/RO vessels ever built by Rauma-Repola.

They will have an overall length of 155 meters, beam of 25 meters, and depth to shelter deck of 22.2 meters.

The ships will be strengthened for an even load of 5 tons per square meter, a fork lift truck of 60/50 tons, and trailer weight of 50 tons per 40-foot unit.

Classification will be to Lloyd's Register of Shipping +100 Al, + LMC, with the machinery automated to comply with UMS requirements.

The vessels also will meet the Finnish Ice Class 1A Super standards.

The ships will have a normal trading deadweight of 8,000 tons at a draft of 7.2 meters.

They will have two main engines coupled through reduction gearing to one controllable-pitch propeller, allowing for running on either one or two engines to optimize speed for urgent or less urgent transport requirements.

The propulsion machinery comprises a pair of Wartsila Wartsila/S.E.M.T. Pielstick diesels, each developing 8,850 bhp (6,600 kw) maximum continuous rating at 520 rpm.

They will provide a speed of 18.5 knots at a deadweight of 8,000 tons and engine output of 74 percent of the mcr.

With the ship running on one engine at 80 percent of mcr, the speed will be 15 knots.

The ships will have covered cargo space above the upper deck, designed for RO/RO cargoes, with a total area of 2,700 square meters, height of 4.5 meters, and lane length of 900 meters.

During the Winter War, Sampo and other state-owned icebreakers were armed and assigned to a wartime icebreaker fleet shortly before the war began on 30 November 1939.

The icebreakers had been equipped with gun mounts already in the 1920s and were armed with light artillery.

Sampo ran hard aground and was out of service for more than a year, after colliding with an underwater obstacle on 6 January 1940.

The collision damaged the forward steam engine and propeller shaft, and Sampo was resting high on the rocks with the bow propeller above the water.

Two tugboats tried to rescue Sampo on the following day, but the task was deemed impossible and they evacuated the pilot and women working in the icebreaker's kitchen to Mäntyluoto.

Sampo was further damaged on 8 January when a large ice floe was pushed against the side of the icebreaker, causing both engine rooms to flood.

The crew members were eventually evacuated in heavy weather and freezing temperatures on the following day.

The salvaging of Sampo was awarded to the Finnish salvage company Neptun Oy, but the task was deemed impossible in the presence of ice.

Sampo was camouflaged with tree branches to resemble a small island while waiting for the spring thaw, but Soviet bombers made several attempts to destroy the ship.

Despite dropping at least 250 bombs on the grounded icebreaker, the enemy pilots never scored a hit.

The Winter War ended on 13 March 1940 with Sampo still grounded outside Pori.

Sampo, a vessel operated by the Finland Steamship Company, was 61.40 metres long overall and 58.35 metres at the waterline.

Her moulded breadth was 13.00 metres, while her maximum displacement was 2,050 tons.

The draught of the icebreaker was 17 feet 3 inches in the bow and 18 feet 3 inches in the stern.

Sampo's hull was built of Siemens-Martin steel, divided into eight watertight compartments by transverse bulkheads.

The bow was reinforced with a wide ice belt up to one inch thick, and all steel structures were dimensioned beyond Lloyd's Register requirements.

The angle of the stem was 24 degrees, and the ship was powered by two triple-expansion steam engines.

The main engine produced 1,600 ihp at 110 rpm, while the bow engine produced 1,400 ihp at 115 rpm.

Sampo had five coal-fired boilers for the main engines and a small auxiliary boiler for heating, deck equipment, and light generator.

The fuel stores could hold 350 tons of coal, which was fed to the fireboxes at a rate of 2.4–3.2 tons per hour.

The ship was also equipped with a towing winch, a cable, and a stern notch for escort icebreaker duties.

Ships played a vital role in the history of shipping companies. Some notable ships include the Arcturus, which operated on the Hanko – Copenhagen – Hull route from 1899 to 1957.

Arcturus was involved in a tragic collision with the Oberon in 1930, resulting in the sinking of the Oberon. This incident highlights the risks involved in maritime transportation.

The Wellamo, which operated from 1927 to 1967, helped restart traffic between Helsinki and Stockholm after World War II. It was later scrapped in 1969.

The Ilmatar, which operated from 1964 to 1980, was later converted into the casino cruise ship Palm Beach Princess before being scrapped in 2011.

The Finlandia, which operated from 1967 to 1976, was Effoa's first modern car/passenger ferry. It was scrapped in 2009.

The Aallotar, which operated from 1972 to 1978, was the first ship to start year-round traffic between Helsinki and Stockholm. It was scrapped in 2004.

Some notable ships and their operating years include:

Sampo was an impressive 61.40 meters long overall and 58.35 meters at the waterline.

Her moulded breadth was 13.00 meters, and the draught at maximum displacement was 17 feet 3 inches in the bow and 18 feet 3 inches in the stern.

The hull of Sampo was built of Siemens-Martin steel, which is known for its strength and durability.

The ship's steel structures were dimensioned beyond Lloyd's Register requirements, ensuring they could withstand the rigors of icebreaking.

The bow of Sampo was reinforced with a wide ice belt up to one inch thick, providing an extra layer of protection against ice.

The angle of the stem, the first part of the ship to encounter ice, was a crucial design feature, measuring 24 degrees.

Sampo was powered by two triple-expansion steam engines, one driving a propeller in the stern and the other a second propeller in the bow.

The main function of the bow propeller was to reduce friction between the hull and the ice, although the exact details of the icebreaking process were not known at that time.

The stern engine produced 1,600 ihp at 110 rpm, and the bow engine 1,400 ihp at 115 rpm.

During sea trials, the maximum indicated output of the two steam engines was 3,052 ihp.

Sampo had five coal-fired boilers for the main engines in two boiler rooms and a small auxiliary boiler for heating, deck equipment, and light generator in the foremost boiler room.

The ship's fuel stores could hold 350 tons of coal, which was fed to the fireboxes at a rate of 2.4–3.2 tons per hour.

Sampo was equipped with a towing winch, a cable, and a stern notch for escort icebreaker duties.

For salvage operations, the ship had a powerful centrifugal pump capable of pumping 700 tons of water per hour.