Rederi AB Svea
Encyclopedia
Stockholms Rederi AB Svea (originally Sveabolaget, later often referred to as Rederi AB Svea or simply Svea) was a Swedish
shipping company founded in the 1870s. It operated a wide variety of ships carrying freight and passengers around the world, mostly concentrating on traffic in the Baltic
and North Sea
and was one of the largest Swedish shipping companies in its time. Rederi AB Svea was one of the founding members of Silja Line
, and operated its ships under the names Skandinavisk Linjetrafik, Scandinvian Ferry Lines, Linjebuss and Trave Line. It also had a Finnish
daughter company (Oy Svea Ab) and another daughter company based in the Netherlands
. In 1981 Svea was merged into Johnson Line
and ceased to operate as an independent company.
After World War II
Rederi AB Svea began developing ferry
traffic from southern Sweden to Denmark
and Germany
under the banners of Trave Line, Skandinavisk Linjetrafik and Linjebuss. At the same time the company also began operating large ocean freighters. The first modern car-ferries were delivered for Svea in the 1960s. In 1966 Rederi Ab Svea began a joint car/passenger ferry line from Sweden to the United Kingdom
with Swedish Lloyd and Ellerman's Wilson Line, but withdrew from the joint service already in 1969, selling its sole ship in that service, , to Swedish Lloyd.
Svea faced hard times in the 1970s and in 1975 50% of Svea shares were sold to Rederi AB Nordstjernan (the parent company of Johnson Line). From 1975 onwards Svea operations were heavily rationalised. In 1976 Trave Line was merged with the trains-ferry opeations of Swedish State Railways
to form Saga Line. In 1980 large mergers were made in the Linjebuss small-ferry operations, bringing Linjebuss together with lines operated by the Swedish State Railways and a Danish company under the name Scandinavian Ferry Lines. In the same year TT-Line
started joint operations with Saga Line and TT-Saga Line was formed. In 1981, following financial difficulties, Rederi AB Svea sold its shares in TT-Saga Line and Scandinavian Ferry Lines, and in the end of the year the company itself was merged into Johnson Line. Further on Johnson Line merged with Effoa
in 1990 to form EffJohn.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
shipping company founded in the 1870s. It operated a wide variety of ships carrying freight and passengers around the world, mostly concentrating on traffic in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and was one of the largest Swedish shipping companies in its time. Rederi AB Svea was one of the founding members of Silja Line
Silja Line
Silja Line is a Finnish cruiseferry brand operated by the Estonian ferry company AS Tallink Grupp, for car and passenger traffic between Finland and Sweden. The former company Silja Oy – today Tallink Silja Oy – is a subsidiary of Tallink Grupp, handling marketing and sales for Tallink and Silja...
, and operated its ships under the names Skandinavisk Linjetrafik, Scandinvian Ferry Lines, Linjebuss and Trave Line. It also had a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
daughter company (Oy Svea Ab) and another daughter company based in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In 1981 Svea was merged into Johnson Line
Johnson Line
Johnson Line was a Sweden-based shipping line founded in 1904 as a subsidiary of Rederi AB Nordstjernan. In 1982 Johnson Line absorbed Rederi AB Svea, another Rederi AB Nordstjernan -owned company, hence becoming a member of the Finnish-Swedish Silja Line consortium...
and ceased to operate as an independent company.
History
Sveabolaget was founded in the 1870s, receiving its first ship in 1872. Most of early Svea ships were steamers used as freighters around the world, carrying whatever cargo they could find from any port to any other port. In addition to these Sveabolaget soon starter operating cargo and passengers around the coast of Sweden and in the Baltic Sea. In 1918 the company (which by this time had changed its name to Stockholms Rederi AB Svea) started collaboration with Finland Steamship Company and Steamship Company Bore on routes between Sweden and Finland. In the 1930s the company radically expanded its freight operations, the size of its fleet growing to approximately 100 vessels.After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Rederi AB Svea began developing ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
traffic from southern Sweden to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
under the banners of Trave Line, Skandinavisk Linjetrafik and Linjebuss. At the same time the company also began operating large ocean freighters. The first modern car-ferries were delivered for Svea in the 1960s. In 1966 Rederi Ab Svea began a joint car/passenger ferry line from Sweden to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with Swedish Lloyd and Ellerman's Wilson Line, but withdrew from the joint service already in 1969, selling its sole ship in that service, , to Swedish Lloyd.
Svea faced hard times in the 1970s and in 1975 50% of Svea shares were sold to Rederi AB Nordstjernan (the parent company of Johnson Line). From 1975 onwards Svea operations were heavily rationalised. In 1976 Trave Line was merged with the trains-ferry opeations of Swedish State Railways
SJ AB
SJ is a government-owned passenger train operator in Sweden. SJ was created in 2000, out of the public transport division of Statens Järnvägar, when the former government agency was divided into six separate government-owned limited companies.-Overview:SJ's operations fall broadly into subsidised...
to form Saga Line. In 1980 large mergers were made in the Linjebuss small-ferry operations, bringing Linjebuss together with lines operated by the Swedish State Railways and a Danish company under the name Scandinavian Ferry Lines. In the same year TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
started joint operations with Saga Line and TT-Saga Line was formed. In 1981, following financial difficulties, Rederi AB Svea sold its shares in TT-Saga Line and Scandinavian Ferry Lines, and in the end of the year the company itself was merged into Johnson Line. Further on Johnson Line merged with Effoa
Effoa
Finland Steamship Company was a Finnish shipping company founded in 1883 by Captain Lars Krogius. In Finnish and Swedish The company was usually referred to simply as FÅA. In 1976, the company changed its name to Effoa, a phonetic spelling of the abbreviation FÅA.The company was a founding member...
in 1990 to form EffJohn.
Ships
(1953—1973) (1966—1969) (1970—1984) (1975—1981) (1981)External links
- Stockholms Rederi AB Svea at Simplon Postcards
- An extensive list of Rederi AB Svea ships at Fakta om Fartyg (only in Swedish)