Schichau Seebeckwerft
Encyclopedia
Schichau Seebeckwerft is a German
shipbuilding
company, headquartered in Bremerhaven
. The name comes from the 1988 merger of Schichau with Seebeckwerft
.
in Elbing (Elbląg)
as F. Schichau. It started by manufacturing steam engines and heavy equipment, later locomotive
s. In 1854 Schichau built a shipyard in Elbing. A new large shipyard in Danzig was opened in 1890 (later becoming a part of the Polish Gdańsk Shipyard
after 1945). In 1929 the shipyard was bought by the German government. In 1930 the company also bought a small yard in Königsberg
.
After 1945 shipyards in Danzig, Königsberg and Elbing were found on the Soviet and Polish territories, and the company restarted business in Bremerhaven
in West Germany
, merging with the Unterweserweft in 1972 to become Schichau Unterweser and with Seebeckwerft
in 1988 to become Schichau Seebeckwerft. The company, which was then bought by Bremer Vulkan
and initially closed in 1996, was spun off and is still in business today.
With its long history of major shipbuilding, the company is also known as Schichau-Werft, or Schichau Seebeck Shipyard (Werft meaning shipyard
).
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...
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
company, headquartered in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
. The name comes from the 1988 merger of Schichau with Seebeckwerft
Seebeckwerft
-History:Seebeckwerft was founded in 1876 and developed from a small, metal-processing company in the heart of Bremerhaven into one of the leading shipbuilding companies in the region.During World War II Seebeckwerft built 16 Type IX U-boats for the Kriegsmarine....
.
History
The original company Schichau was founded in 1837 by Ferdinand SchichauFerdinand Schichau
Ferdinand Gottlob Schichau was a German mechanical engineer and businessman.- Biography :Schichau was born in Elbing, West Prussia to a smith and iron worker. He studied engineering in Berlin and visited the Rhineland and England. In 1837 he started his own company in Elbing...
in Elbing (Elbląg)
Elbing
Elbing is the German name of Elbląg, a city in northern Poland which until 1945 was a German city in the province of East Prussia.Elbing may also refer to:- Ships :* SMS Elbing, light cruiser of the Imperial Germany Navy...
as F. Schichau. It started by manufacturing steam engines and heavy equipment, later locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s. In 1854 Schichau built a shipyard in Elbing. A new large shipyard in Danzig was opened in 1890 (later becoming a part of the Polish Gdańsk Shipyard
Gdansk Shipyard
Gdańsk Shipyard is a large Polish shipyard, located in the city of Gdańsk. The yard gained international fame when Solidarity was founded there in September 1980...
after 1945). In 1929 the shipyard was bought by the German government. In 1930 the company also bought a small yard in Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
.
After 1945 shipyards in Danzig, Königsberg and Elbing were found on the Soviet and Polish territories, and the company restarted business in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, merging with the Unterweserweft in 1972 to become Schichau Unterweser and with Seebeckwerft
Seebeckwerft
-History:Seebeckwerft was founded in 1876 and developed from a small, metal-processing company in the heart of Bremerhaven into one of the leading shipbuilding companies in the region.During World War II Seebeckwerft built 16 Type IX U-boats for the Kriegsmarine....
in 1988 to become Schichau Seebeckwerft. The company, which was then bought by Bremer Vulkan
Bremer Vulkan
Bremer Vulkan AG was a great German shipbuilding company located at the Weser river in Bremen-Vegesack. It was founded in 1893 and closed in 1997 because of financial problems and mismanagement....
and initially closed in 1996, was spun off and is still in business today.
With its long history of major shipbuilding, the company is also known as Schichau-Werft, or Schichau Seebeck Shipyard (Werft meaning shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
).
Civilian ships
, (1974)- MS Pride of Free EnterpriseMS Pride of Free EnterpriseOleander is one of a class of three roll-on/roll-off ferries built for Townsend Thoresen at the end of the 1970s. Her two sister ships were the and the infamous . She currently operates as the MV Oleander for Transeuropa Ferries-History:...
(1979) - MS Spirit of Free EnterpriseMS Spirit of Free EnterpriseMS Anthi Marina was the first of a class of three roll-on/roll-off ferries built for Townsend Thoresen at the end of the 1970s. Her two sister ships were the and the infamous .-As Spirit of Free Enterprise:...
(1979) - MS Herald of Free Enterprise (1980, sunk in 1987), (1982) (1981)
- M/S Peter Pan (1986)
- M/S Nils Holgersson (1987), (1989), (1990)
- M/S Supefast IMS SkaniaMS Skania is a fast ropax ferry operated by Unity Line on their Swinoujscie - Ystad route. She was built in 1995 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany for Superfast Ferries as MS Superfast I...
(1995) - M/S Superfast IIMS Mega Express FourMS Mega Express Four is a fast ropax ferry owned by Corsica Ferries and operated on their routes from Nice and Toulon to Ile Rousse. She was built in 1995 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany for Superfast Ferries as MS Superfast II...
(1995) - Pride of Canterbury