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Viking Line

Header Page


This is the Header Page to a series devoted to postcards of the Viking Line. An alphabetical list of ships covered on these pages is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Other Viking Line pages are:- Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4


A Brief History of Viking Line:-
In the 1950s, services between Sweden and Finland looked secure under the control of Finland Steamship Company (EFFOA), Svea Line and Bore Line, all with long histories. these companies became part of the rival Silja group. As in other parts of Europe, new ideas would soon be tried, and Viking Line operations began on 1st June 1959 between Gräddö and Korppoo, when Åland mariners Gunnar Eklund and Henning Rundberg acquired the British Railways ferry Dinard and renamed her Viking. Five days later, the Slite, owned by Carl Bertil Myrsten, began operations between Simpnäs and Mariehamn. In 1962, the original founders of Viking Line split, and Gunnar Eklund formed Ålandsfärjan using another ex-British Railways ferry Brittany, which was renamed Ålandsfärjan. She operated between Mariehamn and Gräddö (later Kapellskär). Ålandsfärjan later became SF Line in 1970, and the original Viking Line became Sally. In 1964, all-year-round services started with the ice-strengthened Apollo, owned by Slite. In 1966, the marketing company Viking Line was formed to sell services on the three companies Sally, Slite and SF Line.

The first large purpose-built ferry was the Kapella of 1967, followed by 10 other additions to the fleet through the 1970s, mostly purpose-built. This ships are all covered on this web page. Services were augmented by various chartered ferries (not shown on these pages). Traffic increased at a great rate, and direct competition with Silja from Stockholm started in 1975. In 1976, services started from Stockholm to Helsinki. The early 1970s ships soon required replacement by a series of larger ships from 1979. These ships are covered on Viking Line - Page 2. Rederi AB Sally were the dominant Viking Line partner at this time, with the delivery of Viking Saga, Viking Sally and Viking Song, all in 1980. Around this time, Sally also acquired Vaasanlaivat, started operations across the English Channel and became involved in cruising activities (all to be covered on separate web pages).

An even larger series of ships were delivered between 1985-92, which are covered on Viking Line - Page 3 and Viking Line - Page 4. The Sally influence decreased when some of their other operations lost money, SF Line and Slite taking over the Helsinki route in 1985 when the Mariella and Olympia were delivered. Sally were acquired by Silja group owners EFFOA and Johnson Line, and were forced to leave the Viking consortium in 1987. In the early 1990s, the Slite company ran into financial difficulties, and their ships were sold, leaving just SF Line, which renamed itself to Viking Line.


Viking Line Pages:-
Viking Line - Header Page - this page!
Viking Line - Page 1 - Viking Line Ships 1959-1978
Viking Line - Page 2 - Viking Line Ships 1979-1980
Viking Line - Page 3 - Viking Line Ships 1981-1989
Viking Line - Page 4 - Viking Line Ships 1989-
Viking Line - 2005 Fleet - Viking Line Fleet in 2005
www.vikingline.fi - Official Viking Line Website

Ships on Page 1:-
Ålandsfärjan (1) - Ålandsfärjan/SF Line 1963-72
Apollo (1) - Slite 1964-67
Apollo (2) - Slite 1970-76
Apollo III - Slite 1976-89
Aurella - SF Line 1973-82
Boge - Slite 1963-63
Diana - Slite 1972-79
Drotten - 1963-64
Kapella - Ålandsfärjan/SF Line 1967-79
Marella - SF Line 1970-81
Panny - Slite 1963-64
Slite - Slite 1959-64
Viking - Vikinglinjen/Sally 1959-70
Viking 1 - Sally 1970-82
Viking 2 - Sally 1968-78
Viking 3 - Sally 1972-76
Viking 4 - Sally 1973-80
Viking 5 - Sally 1974-81
Viking 6 - Sally 1974-80
Visby - chartered 1967-70

Ships on Page 2:-
Dancing Queen - SF Line 1979-
Diana 2 - Slite 1979-92
Rosella - SF Line 1979-
Turella - Slite 1980-
Viking Saga - Sally 1980-86
Viking Sally - Sally 1980-91
Viking Song - Sally 1980-90

Ships on Page 3:-
Ålandsfärjan (2) - 1987- (built 1972)
Amorella - 1988-
Isabella - 1989-
Mariella - 1985-
Olympia - 1986-

Ships on Page 4:-
Athena - AB Slite 1989-93
Cinderella - 1989
Europa - AB Slite 1993 (sold before entering service)
Gabriella - built 1992
Kalypso - AB Slite 1990-93

Associated Pages:-
Fåborg-Gelting Line
Ferry Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page

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Table of Ship Histories
Name Other names Built Ålandsfärjan (1) Brittany 1933 Ålandsfärjan (2) Kattegat (2), nf Tiger 1972 Apollo (2) Olau Kent, Gelting Nord, Benodet, Corbiere 1970 Athena Langkapuri Star Aquarius, Pearl of Scandinavia 1989 Aurella St Patrick II, Egnatia II, Ville de Sete, City of Cork 1973 Cinderella Viking Cinderella 1989 Diana Diana, Botnia Express, Alandia 1972 Diana II Mare Balticum, Meloodia 1979 Europa Silja Europa 1993 Gabriella Frans Suell, Silja Scandinavia 1992 Kalypso Star Pisces 1990 Kapella Nissos Chios 1967 Olympia Pride of Bilbao 1986 Turella Stena Nordica, Fantaasia 1979 Viking Dinard 1924 Viking 1 Wasa Express, Khalid 1, Mecca 1, Al-Misri 1, Fagr 1970 Viking 2 Marsk Stig 1940 Viking 3 Wasa Express, Roslagen 1972 Viking 4 Earl Granville, Express Olympia 1973 Viking 5 The Viking, Sally Express, Bolette, Boughaz 1974 Viking 6 Stena Britannica, Wickersham, Goelo, Moby Dream, etc 1967 Viking Cinderella Cinderella 1989 Viking Saga Sally Albatross, Leeward, SuperStar Taurus, Silja Opera 1980 Viking Sally Silja Star, Wasa King, Estonia 1980 Viking Song Braemar, Anna Karenina, Regina Baltika 1980 Viking Line - Header Page - Viking Line - 2005 Fleet
Viking Line - Page 1 - Viking Line - Page 2 - Viking Line - Page 3 - Viking Line - Page 4
Ferry Postcards - Top of Page - Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards - Home Page


�1999-2010 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved Free Web Counter Times viewed since 26/11/2008:

Name	Other names	Built
Ålandsfärjan (1)	Brittany	1933
Ålandsfärjan (2)	Kattegat (2), nf Tiger	1972
Apollo (2)	Olau Kent, Gelting Nord, Benodet, Corbiere	1970
Athena	Langkapuri Star Aquarius, Pearl of Scandinavia	1989
Aurella	St Patrick II, Egnatia II, Ville de Sete, City of Cork	1973
Cinderella	Viking Cinderella	1989
Diana	Diana, Botnia Express, Alandia	1972
Diana II	Mare Balticum, Meloodia	1979
Europa	Silja Europa	1993
Gabriella	Frans Suell, Silja Scandinavia	1992
Kalypso	Star Pisces	1990
Kapella	Nissos Chios	1967
Olympia	Pride of Bilbao	1986
Turella	Stena Nordica, Fantaasia	1979
Viking	Dinard	1924
Viking 1	Wasa Express, Khalid 1, Mecca 1, Al-Misri 1, Fagr	1970
Viking 2	Marsk Stig	1940
Viking 3	Wasa Express, Roslagen	1972
Viking 4	Earl Granville, Express Olympia	1973
Viking 5	The Viking, Sally Express, Bolette, Boughaz	1974
Viking 6	Stena Britannica, Wickersham, Goelo, Moby Dream, etc	1967
Viking Cinderella	Cinderella	1989
Viking Saga	Sally Albatross, Leeward, SuperStar Taurus, Silja Opera	1980
Viking Sally	Silja Star, Wasa King, Estonia	1980
Viking Song	Braemar, Anna Karenina, Regina Baltika	1980