Passenger Ship Website
-
www.simplonpc.co.uk
-
Simplon Postcards Home
-
Recent Updates
-
Search
-
Copyright Information
-
Contact Simplon
This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
Swedish American Line
This page is devoted to official company postcards of the
Swedish American Line fleet
. Commercial cards of the ships will be added to the
complete ship histories
linked from the table below. There is also an
index of ships
covered on this page.
I have included on this page, the subsequent histories of two liners which moved to Home Lines, since Home Lines was originally a joint venture between Swedish American and the Italian Cosulich Line. The original connection between the companies is seen in the funnel designs, with Home Lines closely resembling Swedish America, but with one, not three, crowns on each funnel.
The Rederiaktiebolaget Sverige-Nordamerika initiated a direct Gothenburg-New York service in 1915 with the ex-Holland-America liner
Potsdam
. In 1925 the company was renamed Svenska Amerika Linien (Swedish American Line). The first newly constructed vessels were acquired in 1925 and 1928. Three ships named
Stockholm
were planned in the 1930s and 1940s, all having bad luck.
Stockholm (2)
was destroyed by fire whilst under construction in 1938. Its replacement,
Stockholm (3)
was destroyed in the war. The
Stockholm (4)
of 1948 did manage to enter service, but was severely damaged in the
Andrea Doria
collision. There then followed three successful cruise/passenger liners, of highly distinctive appearance, which built up an exceptional reputation. Increased costs in the 1970s forced the company to look at re-flagging, but negotiations with the Swedish Unions failed, and the last two ships were sold in 1975.
Ships on this Page:-
Borgholm
- 1924-34
Drottningholm
- 1920-48
Gripsholm (1)
- 1925-54
Gripsholm (2)
- 1957-75
Kungsholm (1)
- 1922-24 (chartered)
Kungsholm (2)
- 1928-42
Kungsholm (3)
- 1953-65
Kungsholm (4)
- 1966-75
Stockholm (1)
- 1915-28
Stockholm (2)
- 1938
Stockholm (3)
- 1940
Stockholm (4)
- 1948-60
Associated Pages:-
P&O/Princess Cruises
Home Lines
Costa Line
Norddeutsche Lloyd
HAPAG-Lloyd
Regency Cruises
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards
-
Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards
-
Home Page
Search This Website:-
powered by
FreeFind
Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other Names
Built
Gripsholm (1)
Berlin
1925
Gripsholm (2)
Navarino, Regent Sea
1957
Kungsholm (3)
Europa, Columbus C
1953
Kungsholm (4)
Sea Princess (1), Victoria
1966
Stockholm (4)
Volkerfreundschaft, Italia Prima, Athena
1948
Swedish American Fleet List
Stockholm (1) 1915-28
This ship was built as the
Potsdam
of Holland-America Line in 1900. She served as the
Stockholm
for Swedish American from 1915 to 1928, operating on the Gothenburg-New York route. She was sold for conversion to a whale factory ship.
An official postcard of
Stockholm (1)
.
An official postcard of
Stockholm (1)
.
This is a variation on the card above.
An official postcard of
Stockholm (1)
.
A postcard of
Stockholm (1)
, with wartime neutrality markings on the hull.
A postcard of
Stockholm (1)
, with wartime neutrality markings on the hull.
A postcard of
Stockholm (1)
, with wartime neutrality markings on the hull.
Drottningholm 1920-48
Drottningholm
was built in 1904 as the Allan Liner
Virginian
.
She was sold in 1920 to the Swedish American Line, serving on their Gothenburg-New York route. She was re-engined in 1922, and the
Holland America Liner
Noordam
was chartered as
Kungsholm (1)
in her absence (and for some time afterwards).
Home Lines
purchased her in 1948, and renamed her
Brasil
for their Genoa-S.America services. In 1950 she was switched to a Genoa-Naples-Halifax-New York route. In 1951 she was renamed
Homeland
, and also operated services from Germany. She was sold for scrap in 1955.
An Allan Line official card for the sisters
Victorian
and
Virginian
.
A Swedish American card showing the
Drottningholm
, with black hull.
A second Swedish American card showing the
Drottningholm
.
A third Swedish American card showing the
Drottningholm
, with white hull.
Jolln A.Wilkersen postcard of
Kungsholm (2),
Gripsholm (1)
and
Drottningholm
in Gothenburg.
Postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
at Bordeaux.
Card supplied by
Reto Raeth
.
The following Home Lines card shows the Home Lines'
Brasil
, for whom she sailed between 1948-55.
Kungsholm (1)
(Chartered: 1922-24)
Drottningholm
was re-engined in 1922, and the
Holland America Liner
Noordam
was chartered as
Kungsholm (1)
in her absence (and for some time afterwards).
An official postcard of
Kungsholm (1)
.
An official postcard of
Kungsholm (1)
.
Borgholm 1924-34
Bornholm (1)
was built in 1899 by Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen for services to
Bornholm
. In 1924 she was sold to Swedish America Line, serving as
Borgholm
between Östersjön-Göteborg and Klaipeda-Kalmar. In 1934 she was sold to Østersøen, and was renamed
Østersøen
in 1937. She was broken up in 1953.
Swedish America Line postcard of
Borgholm.
Scan supplied by
Fakta om Fartyg
.
Gripsholm (1) 1925-54
The first new Swedish American Liner was the
Gripsholm,
built in Newcastle in 1925. She was the first diesel-engined transatlantic liner, and operated on Swedish American's Gothenburg-New York routes. She received a major refit in 1950, receiving a new bow and funnels.
Gripsholm
was sold to
Norddeutscher Lloyd
in 1954, and renamed
Berlin
.
Complete history of
Gripsholm
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
, prior to 1950 refit.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm
- smoking room.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm
- dining room.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
.
Jolln A.Wilkersen postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
.
Postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
, prior to 1950 refit.
Real Photographs (Liverpool) postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
, prior to 1950 refit.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm (1)
(background), with the
Kungsholm
of 1928.
Jolln A.Wilkersen postcard of
Stockholm
and
Gripsholm (1)
in Gothenburg.
Jolln A.Wilkersen postcard of
Kungsholm (2),
Gripsholm (1)
and
Drottningholm
in Gothenburg.
Swedish American postcard of
Gripsholm
, after the 1950 refit.
A-B (serial number 27) postcard of