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1940 | War times
Despite the Second World War, vessels are operated and traded. The business expands and dry-cargo vessels named after well-known operas are added to the fleet. Many countries lose much of their merchant fleet in the war which means the demand for tonnage and transport facilities are enormous after the declaration of peace in 1945.
1940
The small tankers are sold
The company sells all small SOYA vessels, except for SOYA V whose master is qualified only for domestic traffic. Olof Wallenius promises to retain the vessel so long as the master remains in service.
1942
The only war-time loss
SS TOLKEN hits a mine and sinks off the coast of Canada. All the crew survive and the ship’s bell floats all the way across the Atlantic and is found in Ireland. Olof Wallenius and his wife Signe give the bell a place of honour in their home.
1943
Breaking the blockade
The newly purchased tanker MT KALMIA succeeds in breaking the blockade. She then operates for several years in traffic between Lisbon and the West Indian island of Aruba.
1944
One of the world’s largest tankers
MT SOYA, 16,225 dwt, is delivered and at the time of launching is one of the largest tankers in the world. She is also the first of the company’s fleet of large tankers. Seven tankers, ranging from 9,000 to 17,000 tonnes, are built between 1944 and 1952.
Back to Swedenborgsgatan
The company moves to new offices at Swedenborgsgatan 2, the street in which it has since remained.
1949
Tankers with a family name
MT SOYA-MARIA is delivered, named after Olof Wallenius’ mother. A further ten women in the Wallenius family will go on and lend their names to the company’s tankers.
MT SOYA-MARIA (2) was delivered in 1960.
The Fleet 1940-1949
AIDA (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 133.6
Beam (m): 17.3
Deadweight (m/t): 9030
Gross tonnage: 5572
Built: July 1947
Delivered: 1947
Sold: November 1949
Builder: Short Bros. Ltd, Sunderland
Sister ship: Rigoletto (3)
AUGUSTA
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 35.5
Beam (m): 6.7
Deadweight (m/t): abt 350
Gross tonnage: 211
Built: 1903
Delivered: March 1942
Sold: April 1942
Builder: Lindholmens Verkstads AB, Gothenburg
BERN
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 118.1
Beam (m): 16.6
Deadweight (m/t): 8,230
Gross tonnage: 5,482
Built: June 1922
Delivered: Jan 1943
Sold: Sep 1950
Builder: AB Götaverken, Göteborg
Former namnes: ex Rio, ex Oljaren
BOHEME (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo with refrigerated installation
Length (m): 140.1
Beam (m): 16.5
Deadweight (m/t): 9015
Gross tonnage: 5553
Built: July 1947
Delivered: 1947
Sold: May 1950
Builder: Kockums Mek Verkstads AB, Malmö
Sister ship: Tosca (1)
HILLERSJÖNÄS
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam Sloop
Length (m): 17.6
Beam (m): 4.1
Gross tonnage: 48
Net tonnage: 28
Built: 1908
Delivered: June 1943
Sold: April 1950
Builder: AB C J Wennbergs Mek Verkstad, Karlstad
Passengers: 80
Former name: ex Vålösund
HJELMAREN
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo
Length (m): 93.5
Beam (m): 13.9
Deadweight (m/t): 4,660
Gross tonnage: 2,467
Built: Oct 1928
Delivered: Jan 1942
Sold: Jan 1943
Builder: AB Götaverken, Göteborg
Senior ship: Kolsnaren
KALMIA
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 140.8
Beam (m): 18
Deadweight (m/t): 12,380
Gross tonnage: 8,249
Built: June 1931
Delivered: Jan 1943
Sold: Dec 1945
Builder: Caledon S.B. & Eng. Co Ltd, Dundee and AB Götaverken, Göteborg (fitting out)
OTHELLO (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallship, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 115.2
Beam (m): 16.1
Deadweight (m/t): 7,462
Gross tonnage: 5,247
Built: Jan 1918
Delivered: June 1946
Sold: March 1951
Builder: Seattle Con. & Dry DK Co, Seattle
Former names: ex Bonita, ex Point Bonita, ex Sacramento
PORJUS
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 95.1
Beam (m): 14.1
Deadweight (m/t): 4,725
Gross tonnage: 2,921
Built: Nov 1906
Delivered: Jan 1946
Sold: March 1946
Builder: S P Austin & Sons Ltd, Sunderland
Former name: ex Hampshire
RIGOLETTO (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo
Length (m): 131
Beam (m): 17.2
Deadweight (m/t): 9100
Gross tonnage: 4879
Built: 1941
Delivered: 1941
Sold: 1941
Builder: Eriksbergs Mek Verkstads AB, Göteborg
Former name: Yarrawonga
Ordered but sold before delivery
RIGOLETTO (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo
Length (m): 94.6
Beam (m): 13.8
Deadweight (m/t): 4730
Gross tonnage: 2402
Built: May 1923
Delivered: Jan 1942
Sold: Nov 1947
Builder: AB Götaverken, Göteborg
Former name: Kolsnaren, Renamned Rigoletto (2) February 1944
Sister ship: Hjelmaren
RIGOLETTO (3)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 133.8
Beam (m): 17
Deadweight (m/t): 9050
Gross tonnage: 5670
Built: August 1948
Delivered: 1948
Sold: September 1953
Builder: Short Bros. Ltd, Sunderland
Sister ship: Aida (1)
SOYA (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 159.2
Beam (m): 19.2
Deadweight (m/t): 16,225
Gross tonnage: 10,431
Built: Nov 1944
Delivered: 1944
Sold: April 1952
Builder: Kockums Mek Verkstads AB, Malmö
Sister ships: SOYA II (2), SOYA-MARGARETA, SOYA-MARIA (1)
SOYA II (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 159.2
Beam (m): 19.2
Deadweight (m/t): 16,225
Gross tonnage: 10,477
Built: March 1946
Delivered: 1946
Sold: April 1956
Builder: Kockums Mek Verkstads AB, Malmö
Sister ships: SOYA (2), SOYA-MARGARETA, SOYA-MARIA (1)
SOYA V
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 30.5/35.4
Beam (m): 6.6
Deadweight (m/t): 225/300
Gross tonnage: 203/236
Built: November 1941
Delivered: 1941
Lengthened: 1948
Sold: May 1958
Builder: Lidingö Nya Varv och Verkstäder, Lidingö
SOYA VI
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 77.3
Beam (m): 11.5
Deadweight (m/t): 1755
Gross tonnage: 1334
Built: September 1940
Delivered: 1940
Sold: January 1943
Builder: Eriksbergs Mek Verkstads AB, Göteborg
SOYA-MARIA (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 161.6
Beam (m): 19.2
Deadweight (m/t): 16,125
Gross tonnage: 10,614
Built: June 1949
Sold: September 1958
Builder: Kockums Mek. Verkstads AB, Malmö
Sister ships: Soya (2), Soya II (2), Soya-Margareta
TOLKEN
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 104,5
Beam (m): 16,4
Deadweight (m/t): 8347
Gross tonnage: 4521
Built: March 1922
Delivered: April 1941
Torpedoed and total loss: May 1942
Builder: Eriksbergs Mek Verkstads AB, Göteborg
TOSCA (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo with refrigerated installation
Length (m): 140.1
Beam (m): 18.1
Deadweight (m/t): 9,050
Gross tonnage: 5,553
Built: March 1947
Sold: Nov 1950
Builder: Kockums Mek Verkstads AB, Malmö
Sister ship: BOHEME (1)
TRAVIATA (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 109
Beam (m): 15.5
Deadweight (m/t): 5,330
Gross tonnage: 2,828
Built: August 1946
Delivered: Under construction 1946
Sold: May 1947
Builder: Aalborg Vaerft A/S, Aalborg
Former name: ex Kegnoes
TRIO
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, and from June 1944 Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 76.5
Beam (m): 11.6
Deadweight (m/t): 2,415
Gross tonnage: 1,489
Built: 1922
Delivered: Dec 1941
Sold: July 1946
Builder: Svendborg Skibs og Maskinbyggeri AS, Svendborg
Former name: Inge Maersk
Bought and sold directly
BENGUELA
CLEOPATRA
LEO
Ordered but sold before delivery
ARNARFELL
ATOMENA
BOOLONGENA
CASSIOPEIA
MANGARELLA
TRITONIA/SYMFONI
TRIVIA