DFDS - Det Forenede Dampskibsselskab

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	DFDS Det Forenede Dampskibsselskab - Pre-WW2 Vessels This page is under construction
	This page covers the passenger ships delivered to Det Forenede Dampskibsselskab (DFDS) up until 1939

Aarhus was built by Burmeister & Wain's Maskin og Skibsbyggeri, Copenhagen, Denmark (Yard number 283). She entered service in 1912 between Copenhagen and the port she was named after, Århus. She was powered by a quadruple expansion steam engine of 2300ihp giving a speed of 15.5 knots.

In 1930 Aarhus's forecastle was extended and accommodation refurbished. In 1937 she was rebuilt at Nakskov. She was laid up for most of the war until seized by the Germans in 1944 and used as the hospital ship Marburg, reverting to Aarhus when returned to DFDS in 1945. She was soon chartered to the Danish Government and provided free of charge for UK Government service as a troopship from Tilbury to Oostende, Hoek van Holland and Antwerp (see also
Vistula). Returning to DFDS in 1946, it was decided not to refurbish her. However, following the loss of Kjøbenhavn to an old mine in 1948, she was rebuilt and renamed Botnia. She ran from Copenhagen to Århus and Årlborg. Withdrawn in 1966 as the last steamer in the DFDS fleet and used as an accommodation ship. Scrapped in Scotland in 1973.

Vistula was built by Burmeister & Wain's Maskin og Skibsbyggeri, Copenhagen, Denmark (Yard number 583). She entered service in 1930 on a service linking Copenhagen to Gdynia, Danzig, Memel and Leningrad. She was powered by a 6-cyl Burmeister & Wain 650-MTF-90 diesel of 1375hp giving a speed of 13 knots.

Throughout the 1930s Vistula operated on a huge range of services, both domestic Danish routes plus international services from Copenhagen to many Baltic states including the ports of Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Leningrad, Gdynia, Sopot, Danzig, Stettin etc. She also visited Harwich. After German war service as the Wurzburg, she reverted to her original name with DFDS, and was chartered for use as a troop ship from Tilbury to Oostende and Hoek van Holland.

On return to DFDS service Vistula mainly ran from Copenhagen to Oslo, but also to Århus and Frederikshavn. In 1966 she was sold to Laiva Oy Polar (Antti Lempiäinen Oy) of Helsinki and renamed Polar. Two years later she became the Polar Star of Oy Thun & Co Ab (also Helsinki). She was scrapped in Belgium in 1970.

Aalborghus was built by Nakskovs Skipsværft, Nakskov, Denmark (Yard number 72). She entered service in 1936 between Copenhagen and Ålborg. She was powered by a Burmeister & Wain 950-VF-90 diesel of 2975hp giving a speed of 16 knots.

In 1940 Aalborghus was laid up due to the war. Se was used by the Germans as Schill from 1944. She returned to DFDS in 1945 reverting to her original name and running on her previous route. During the summers of 1950-56 she ran from Copenhagen to Oslo, whilst also acting as occasional relief ship on the routes from Copenhagen to Ålborg and Århus. Subsequently she was used mainly during summers only on various routes, Frederikshavn-Oslo, Frederikshavn-Copenhagen etc. Aalborghus was laid up in 1967 and sold for scrap in 1968, but resold to Burmeister & Wain for use as an accommodation ship named Øbo. Sold again for scrapping in Rotterdam, she sank in September 1972 whilst under tow.

Hans Broge was built by Helsingørs Jernskibs og Maskinbyggeri, Helsingør, Denmark (Yard number 256). She entered service between Copenhagen and Århus in 1939. She was powered by a Burmeister & Wain 950-VF-90 diesel of 3350hp giving a speed of 17.5 knots.

Her last trip at the start of WW2 was on 11 September 1940. Hans Broge returned to service on her original route in August 1945. In 1955 she was lengthened by 10m at Burmeister & Wain in Copenhagen. passenger numbers increased from 1100 to 1250, with berths increased from 239 to 304. She was laid up in Copenhagen in August 1969 and sold the following year to Potomianos Ionian Lines of Cyprus and renamed Achilleus. She had charters to Bore Lines, Ånedin Linjen and Jakob Lines before being broken up in Finland in 1983.

	Ships on this Page Aarhus - DFDS:1912-1948 - later Botnia Aalborghus (2) - DFDS:1936-1968 Botnia - DFDS:1948-1966 - ex Aarhus Hans Broge - DFDS:1939-1970 Vistula - DFDS:1930-1966 Other DFDS Pages DFDS - Header Page DFDS - Passenger Ferries Pre-1945 - this page DFDS - Passenger Ferries 1945-74 DFDS - Passenger/RoRo Ferries 1974- DFDS - Dover-Dunkerque Services 2010- Tor Line - Passenger Ferries DFDS Tor Line - Freight Ferries Scandinavian World Cruises - DFDS Caribbean Venture Contacts www.dfdsseaways.co.uk - DFDS UK company website	Associated Pages Cruise Ships Ocean Liners UK Excursion Vessels World Ferry Fleets Simplon Postcards. Home Page Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards facebook page References DFDS 1866-1991 - World Ship Society publication for 125th Anniversary (various authors)
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