1950 | Breakthrough of car transports
The world begins to recover from the war and industries work at full speed. Motoring makes its big breakthrough and the consumption of all kinds of petroleum products increases. Olof Wallenius, with an eye on the future, develops an entirely new kind of vessel for carrying cars. Wallenius Lines is also one of Sweden’s largest bulk and tanker companies and carries vegetable oils, petroleum products and ore between destinations all over the world.
1953
New car-deck concept
Olof Wallenius backs master Bengt Törnqvist’s idea of customised vessels for carrying cars. His concept is to use bulk carriers in which car decks can be assembled in the hold for carrying cars which can be removed for bulk cargoes. The cars are loaded and unloaded with cranes or via a side ramp. For the initial trials using insertable car decks, the company uses the chartered vessel, MS JAKARA.
1954
The first long-term car contract
Wallenius Lines signs the first long-term contract with VW for transporation of their cars to the US.
1955
The world’s first car carrier
The world’s, first purpose-built car carriers – MS RIGOLETTO and MS TRAVIATA – are delivered to Wallenius Lines, laying the foundation of the company’s specialisation in transoceanic car carrying. The new vessels have four decks with a capacity for 290 cars, which are loaded by crane. The length and beam of the vessels are adjusted to suit the locks on St Laurance seaways and the Great Lakes in North America.
1956
Own network of agents
Wallenius Lines forges links with other companies and starts to build up a network of agents around the world. Cobelfret N.V., Antwerp, Karl Geuther & Co, Bremerhaven, Colley Motorships Ltd, Montreal and Fred F Noonan Company Inc of San Francisco form the important foundation for the agent network.
1957
Bulk carriers are rebuilt
Car-carrying becomes increasingly important, and several of the dry-cargo vessels in the fleet are rebuilt for car transportation.
1958
Largest tanker
Tanker traffic is operated in parallel with the growing car-carrying traffic. MT SOYA-ELISABETH is delivered. At 33,000 dwt, she is the largest tanker in the fleet to date.
The first subsidiaries abroad
Wallenius Lines forms a subsidiary in Germany – Wallenius Bremen GmbH.
1959
A whole series of car/bulk carriers are delivered to cater to the growing car trade. The MS FIGARO was the largest.
The Fleet 1950-1959
AIDA (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 151.7
Beam (m): 19.4
Deadweight (m/t): 13,850
Gross tonnage: 9,488
Built: June 1951
Delivered: 1951
Sold: September 1964
Builder: Caledon S.B. & E. Co Ltd, Dundee
BOHEME (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 144.8
Beam (m): 18.8
Deadweight (m/t): 10,400
Gross tonnage: 6,564
Built: January 1953
Delivered: 1953
Sold: April 1965
Builder: Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland
Sister ship: Tosca (2)
FALSTAFF (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 450
Length (m): 106.4
Beam (m): 15.6
Deadweight (m/t): 6,505
Gross tonnage: 4,508
Built: October 1959
Delivered: 1959
Sold: August 1966
Builder: Norrköpings Varv & Verkstad, Norrköping
Sister ships: Faust (1), Fidelio (1)
FIDELIO (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallship, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 450
Length (m): 106.4
Beam (m): 15.6
Deadweight (m/t): 6,549
Gross tonnage: 4,504
Built: January 1959
Delivered: 1959
Sold: August 1966
Builder: Norrköpings Varv & Verkstad, Norrköping
Sister ships: Falstaff (1), Faust (1)
FIGARO (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Walltank, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo
Capacity car/trucks: 1,050
Length (m): 159
Beam (m): 20
Deadweight (m/t): 15,010
Gross tonnage: 10,843
Built: August 1959
Delivered: 1959
Sold: November 1968
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
ISOLDE (1)
After lengthening
Owner: Rederi AB Wallenco, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 390/525
Length (m): 97.3/114.6
Beam (m): 15.8
Deadweight (m/t): 5,772/6,892
Gross tonnage: 4,251/4,688
Built: November 1956
Lengthened: 1959
Sold: May 1970
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Sister ship: Tristan
MADAME BUTTERFLY (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Bulk Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 1,050
Length (m): 157.9
Beam (m): 19.7
Deadweight (m/t): 14,652
Gross tonnage: 10,441
Built: November 1959
Delivered: 1959
Sold: November 1968
Builder: Bremer Vulcan AG, Bremen – Vegesack
OTHELLO (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya 1950-1951, Rederi AB Wallship, Stockholm, 1951-1956
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam General Cargo
Length (m): 135.3
Beam (m): 17
Deadweight (m/t): 10,020
Gross tonnage: 7,123
Built: December 1943
Delivered: December 1950
Sold: March 1956
Builder: W Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool
Former name: Saint-André, Renamed Otello (2) in February 1953
OTHELLO (3)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm, from April 1958 Rederiet Margareta Wallenius, and from Oct 1959 Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor General Cargo
Length (m): 138.5
Beam (m): 17.3
Deadweight (m/t): 9,200
Gross tonnage: 5,920
Built: October 1928
Purchased: April 1958
Sold: January 1965
Builder: AB Götaverken, Göteborg
Former name: ex Parrakoola
RIGOLETTO (4)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya 1955-1963. Wallenius Bremen GmbH, Bremen, 1963-1968
Flag: SWE 1955-1963. GER 1963-1968
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Carrier/RoRo Car Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 290/350
Length (m): 78.2
Beam (m): 13
Deadweight (m/t): 2,779
Gross tonnage: 1,905
Built: May 1955
Delivered: 1955
Converted: 1962
Sold: August 1968
Builder: Kieler Howaldtsverke AG, Kiel
Sister ship: Traviata (2)
SOYA-ANDREA (1)
Owner: Rederi AB Wallstar, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 163.8
Beam (m): 20.1
Deadweight (m/t): 17,380
Gross tonnage: 11,435
Built: May 1952
Sold: August 1959
Builder: AB Götaverken, Gothenburg
SOYA-ATLANTIC
Owner: Rederi AB Walltank, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam Turbine Ore Oil Carrier
Length (m): 180.3
Beam (m): 22.5
Deadweight (m/t): 23,450
Gross tonnage: 16,266
Built: July 1954
Sold: June 1971
Builder: Kockums Mek. Verkstads AB, Malmö
SOYA-BIRGITTA
Owner: Rederi AB Walltank, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 150.4
Beam (m): 18.8
Deadweight (m/t): 12,965
Gross tonnage: 9,005
Built: September 1953
Sold: October 1965
Builder: Kockums Mek. Verkstads AB, Malmö
SOYA-CHRISTINA
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam Tanker
Length (m): 140.4
Beam (m): 17.9
Deadweight (m/t): 10,335
Gross tonnage: 7,367
Built: April 1950
Sold: January 1957
Builder: Short Bros. Ltd, Sunderland
SOYA-ELISABETH
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Steam Turbine Tanker
Length (m): 204.9
Beam (m): 26.2
Deadweight (m/t): 33,039
Gross tonnage: 21,291
Built: October 1958
Sold: January 1961
Builder: At. & Ch. de France, Dunkerque
SOYA-LOVISA
Owner: Rederi AB Walltank, Stockholm, From Dec 1954 Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: SteamTanker
Length (m): 108.5
Beam (m): 14.6
Deadweight (m/t): 4,585
Gross tonnage: 3,582
Built: April 1954
Sold: March 1965
Builder: Helsingborgs Varfs AB, Helsingborg
SOYA-MARGARETA
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Tanker
Length (m): 161.6
Beam (m): 19.1
Deadweight (m/t): 16,075
Gross tonnage: 10,731
Built: May 1952
Sold: October 1964
Builder: Kockums Mek. Verkstads AB, Malmö
Sister ships: Soya (2), Soya II (2), Soya-Maria (1)
SOYA-PACIFIC
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor Ore Oil Carrier
Length (m): 180.5
Beam (m): 22.7
Deadweight (m/t): 23,600
Gross tonnage: 15,996
Built: September 1956
Sold: November 1967
Builder: AB Götaverken, Gothenburg
TRISTAN
Owner: Rederi AB Wallship, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 390/525
Length (m): 97.3/114.8
Beam (m): 15
Deadweight (m/t): 5,473/6,895
Gross tonnage: 4,249/4,714
Built: September 1956
Lengthened: 1956
Sold: July 1970
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Sister ship: Isolde
TRAVIATA (2)
Owner: Rederi AB Soya, Stockholm
Flag: SWE
Ship Type: Motor LoLo Car Carrier/RoRo Car Carrier
Capacity car/trucks: 290/350
Length (m): 78.2
Beam (m): 13
Deadweight (m/t): 2,779
Gross tonnage: 1,889
Built: June 1955
Converted: 19XX
Sold: October 1968
Builder: Kieler Howaldtsverke AG, Kiel
Sister ship: Rigoletto (4)
Ordered but sold before delivery
CAP GRIS NEZ