Wasa Line
Encyclopedia
Wasa Line was a Finnish
shipping company, established in 1948 and ceased trading when merged into Silja Line
in 1993. It was concerned with ferry
traffic between Finland
and Sweden
across the Gulf of Bothnia
.
, the narrowest part of the Gulf of Bothnia
. On May 28, the company's first ship MS Turisten made its first journey from Vaasa
in Finland to Umeå
in Sweden. People living on both sides of Kvarken are predominantly Swedish-speaking, as were the company founders, hence the company originally only had a name in Swedish and ships were named in Swedish.
The company's first ships were used steamers
, only capable of summer traffic. In 1958, Merivienti Oy, subsidiary of the Finnish forest industry giant Enso-Gutzeit, became the largest owner of Rederi Ab Vasa-Umeå. With funds from the new owner, the company could purchase their first ship capable of carrying cars, SS Korsholm III. In 1962, the company was delivered its only newbuild, MS Vaasa, a freighter that spent most of its career in the company chartered elsewhere, until it was sold in 1964.
was launched. In 1970, a line from Vaasa to Örnsköldsvik
was opened. The following year the company expanded further, opening a line between Pori
and Sundsvall, however it proved unprofitable and was cancelled the following year.
In 1976, Vaasa-Umeå purchased MS Viking 3 from Rederi Ab Sally
, and reused the name Wasa Express for her. During the following decade three of her sister ships would also find their way into Vaasa-Umeå's fleet. In fact the company had considered ordering a newbuild of the same class in the early 70's, but had decided it would be too expensive.
, bringing the first large ferry to the Gulf of Bothnia. Unfortunately there were not enough passengers to support such a large ship and she was laid up in autumn 1982, later subchartered to Karageorgios Line in Greece
. In 1982 Enso-Gutzeit decided to bow out of the shipping business, and Vaasanlaivat was sold to Rederi Ab Sally
(most of their other operations passed to Effoa
).
1986 saw the purchase of one of the longest operating ships on the Gulf of Botnia, when MS Fennia was purchased from Jakob Lines
. A part of the payment was made in the form of MS Fenno Express, a small ship better suited for Jakob Lines' traffic. By this time Sally was doing rather badly financially, and in 1987 the company was purchased by Effoa
and Johnson Line, the owners of Silja Line
. The purchase had no immediate effect, although it did eventually prove decisive to the future of Vaasanlaivat.
and Kokkola
in Finland and Skellefteå
in Sweden. Officially Jakob Lines survived until 1991, but by that time all their ships had the funnel markings of Vaasanlaivat. In 1990, Vaasanlaivat's owners merged into EffJohn. 1991 saw the company's name changed into a more international form, Wasa Line, and the purchase of the new MS Wasa King from their sister company Silja Line. The following year Wasa King was joined by another former Silja ferry, MS Wasa Queen
. Wasa Line proved to be short-lived however, as by 1993 EffJohn were forced to reorganise their operations in order to save money, and Wasa Line was merged into Silja Line.
Silja continued to operate on Kvarken, but the line to Sundsvall was cancelled in 1996, and after the termination of tax-free sales
on intra-European Union
travel, Silja bowed out of traffic in the area altogether in the year 2000. For a while there was no traffic across Kvarken, until spring 2001 when the newly found RG Line
purchased the Fennia from Silja Line and recommenced traffic from Vaasa to Umeå.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
shipping company, established in 1948 and ceased trading when merged into Silja Line
Silja Line
Silja Line is a Finnish cruiseferry brand operated by the Estonian ferry company AS Tallink Grupp, for car and passenger traffic between Finland and Sweden. The former company Silja Oy – today Tallink Silja Oy – is a subsidiary of Tallink Grupp, handling marketing and sales for Tallink and Silja...
in 1993. It was concerned with ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
traffic between Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
across the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
.
History
In 1948, Rederi Ab Vasa-Umeå was founded to start passenger traffic across KvarkenKvarken
Kvarken is the narrow region in the Gulf of Bothnia separating the Bothnian Bay from the Bothnian Sea...
, the narrowest part of the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
. On May 28, the company's first ship MS Turisten made its first journey from Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
in Finland to Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
in Sweden. People living on both sides of Kvarken are predominantly Swedish-speaking, as were the company founders, hence the company originally only had a name in Swedish and ships were named in Swedish.
The company's first ships were used steamers
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
, only capable of summer traffic. In 1958, Merivienti Oy, subsidiary of the Finnish forest industry giant Enso-Gutzeit, became the largest owner of Rederi Ab Vasa-Umeå. With funds from the new owner, the company could purchase their first ship capable of carrying cars, SS Korsholm III. In 1962, the company was delivered its only newbuild, MS Vaasa, a freighter that spent most of its career in the company chartered elsewhere, until it was sold in 1964.
Oy Vaasa-Umeå Ab
In 1964, , the company's first genuine car and passenger ferry was purchased from Sessan Linjen. Wasa Express started a trend of buying ships from Sessan Linjen, as well as the trend of giving ships names ending with Express. In 1965, the company name was changed into the bilingual form Oy Vaasa - Umeå Ab. Two years later, with the purchase of the , operation between Vaasa and SundsvallSundsvall
-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....
was launched. In 1970, a line from Vaasa to Örnsköldsvik
Örnsköldsvik
Örnsköldsvik is a locality and the seat of Örnsköldsvik Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 28,617 inhabitants in 2005.Its natural harbour and archipelago is in the Gulf of Bothnia and the northern boundaries of the High Coast area. It is well known as an exporter of paper products...
was opened. The following year the company expanded further, opening a line between Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
and Sundsvall, however it proved unprofitable and was cancelled the following year.
In 1976, Vaasa-Umeå purchased MS Viking 3 from Rederi Ab Sally
Rederi Ab Sally
Rederi Ab Sally was a Finnish shipping company founded in the 1937 by Algot Johansson. Originally a tanker operator, Sally became a dominant member of the Viking Line shipping consortium in the 1970s. The company met bad times in the 1980s and was bought by its rivals Effoa and Johnson Line in 1987...
, and reused the name Wasa Express for her. During the following decade three of her sister ships would also find their way into Vaasa-Umeå's fleet. In fact the company had considered ordering a newbuild of the same class in the early 70's, but had decided it would be too expensive.
Vaasanlaivat - Vasabåtarna
Enso-Gutzeit became the sole owner of Vasa-Umeå in 1979, and changed the company's name to Vaasanlaivat - Vasabåtarna (The Vaasa Boats). The same year Wasa Express' sister ship MS Botnia Express was added to the company's fleet. In 1981, the company chartered MS Wasa Star from Rederi AB GotlandDestination Gotland
Destination Gotland is a Swedish ferry-line that run state-subsidiarised domestic ferries from Nynäshamn andOskarshamn to Visby on the island of Gotland. It is a wholly owned daughter company of Rederi AB Gotland...
, bringing the first large ferry to the Gulf of Bothnia. Unfortunately there were not enough passengers to support such a large ship and she was laid up in autumn 1982, later subchartered to Karageorgios Line in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. In 1982 Enso-Gutzeit decided to bow out of the shipping business, and Vaasanlaivat was sold to Rederi Ab Sally
Rederi Ab Sally
Rederi Ab Sally was a Finnish shipping company founded in the 1937 by Algot Johansson. Originally a tanker operator, Sally became a dominant member of the Viking Line shipping consortium in the 1970s. The company met bad times in the 1980s and was bought by its rivals Effoa and Johnson Line in 1987...
(most of their other operations passed to Effoa
Effoa
Finland Steamship Company was a Finnish shipping company founded in 1883 by Captain Lars Krogius. In Finnish and Swedish The company was usually referred to simply as FÅA. In 1976, the company changed its name to Effoa, a phonetic spelling of the abbreviation FÅA.The company was a founding member...
).
1986 saw the purchase of one of the longest operating ships on the Gulf of Botnia, when MS Fennia was purchased from Jakob Lines
Jakob Lines
Jakob Lines was a ferry operator based in Jakobstad , Finland. The company was established in 1969 by the city of Jakobstad. It operated routes between Jakobstad and Kokkola in Finland, and Skellefteå, Umeå, and Örnsköldsvik in Sweden....
. A part of the payment was made in the form of MS Fenno Express, a small ship better suited for Jakob Lines' traffic. By this time Sally was doing rather badly financially, and in 1987 the company was purchased by Effoa
Effoa
Finland Steamship Company was a Finnish shipping company founded in 1883 by Captain Lars Krogius. In Finnish and Swedish The company was usually referred to simply as FÅA. In 1976, the company changed its name to Effoa, a phonetic spelling of the abbreviation FÅA.The company was a founding member...
and Johnson Line, the owners of Silja Line
Silja Line
Silja Line is a Finnish cruiseferry brand operated by the Estonian ferry company AS Tallink Grupp, for car and passenger traffic between Finland and Sweden. The former company Silja Oy – today Tallink Silja Oy – is a subsidiary of Tallink Grupp, handling marketing and sales for Tallink and Silja...
. The purchase had no immediate effect, although it did eventually prove decisive to the future of Vaasanlaivat.
Wasa Line
In 1989, Vaasanlaivat acquired Jakob Lines, hence starting to traffic between JakobstadJakobstad
Jakobstad is a town and municipality in Ostrobothnia, Finland. The town has a population of and covers a land area of . The population density is .- History :...
and Kokkola
Kokkola
Kokkola is a town and municipality of Finland.The town is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
in Finland and Skellefteå
Skellefteå
-Industry:*Boliden AB, a big mining and smelting company*Alimak*Natural User Interface Technologies AB - NUITEQ, a promising emerging technology start-up company-Sports:*Skellefteå AIK, an ice hockey team in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien....
in Sweden. Officially Jakob Lines survived until 1991, but by that time all their ships had the funnel markings of Vaasanlaivat. In 1990, Vaasanlaivat's owners merged into EffJohn. 1991 saw the company's name changed into a more international form, Wasa Line, and the purchase of the new MS Wasa King from their sister company Silja Line. The following year Wasa King was joined by another former Silja ferry, MS Wasa Queen
MS Wasa Queen
MS Arberia is a cruiseferry owned by Chryses Finance Co. and operated by Ilion Lines on their Trieste–Durres–Bari -service. She was built in 1975 by Dubegion-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Steamship Company Bore, Finland as MS Bore Star for Steamship Company Bore who used her in Silja Line...
. Wasa Line proved to be short-lived however, as by 1993 EffJohn were forced to reorganise their operations in order to save money, and Wasa Line was merged into Silja Line.
Silja continued to operate on Kvarken, but the line to Sundsvall was cancelled in 1996, and after the termination of tax-free sales
Tax-free shopping
-Introduction:Tax-Free Shopping allows shoppers to reclaim the VAT /GST they have paid on their shopping in foreign countries. Promoting the tax rebate and making it easier for tourists to claim it back, has helped to attract travellers to many countries...
on intra-European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
travel, Silja bowed out of traffic in the area altogether in the year 2000. For a while there was no traffic across Kvarken, until spring 2001 when the newly found RG Line
RG Line
RG Line Oy Ab is a Finnish shipping company founded in 2001 that operates a ferry line between Vaasa, Finland and Umeå, Sweden.The company was founded in 2001 by well known Rabbe Grönblom, just months after Silja Line had put their traffic on Kvarken / Merenkurkku to an end because of a decision in...
purchased the Fennia from Silja Line and recommenced traffic from Vaasa to Umeå.
Ships
Not a complete list.- MS Botnia Express (1979–1992)
- MS Wasa Star (1981–1982)
- MS Fennia (1986–1993)
- MS Wasa King (1991–1993)
- MS Wasa QueenMS Wasa QueenMS Arberia is a cruiseferry owned by Chryses Finance Co. and operated by Ilion Lines on their Trieste–Durres–Bari -service. She was built in 1975 by Dubegion-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Steamship Company Bore, Finland as MS Bore Star for Steamship Company Bore who used her in Silja Line...
(1992–1993)