Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1949-12-23
Norway
Shipping
Development of the Merchant
Fleet

the outbreak of World War II, the
Norwegian merchant fleet amount
ed to almost 100000 gross tons
and Norway ranked as No. 4
among the shipping nations of the
world after Great Britain, U.S.A.
and Japan Tonnage per head was
166 sr. t. 62-5/S of the fleet We're
motorships and $3.50 were under
years of age. Norway's Merchant
fleet was in fact the most modern
in the world. 43ct of the fleet were
tankers (about Al mill. ct. t. and
Norway at that time had the big
gest fleet of motortankers in the
world. From 2 September 1889 to
9. April 1910, when the Germans
invaded Norway. "A vessels of
about 100000 gr. t. were sunk
through war action. On 9. April
only about 100000 gr. t. oceango-
ing tonnage was in Norwegian wa
tiers, while 1852 vessels of about
mill. gr. t. We're outside the AL
lied blockade. In June 1910 this
fleet was placed at the disposal of
the Allies under the management
of The Norwegian Shipping and
Trade Mission (Nortraship), Lon
don and New York. 1t is gener-
ally acknowledged that these ships
played a most important part in
the war efforts of the allied pow
ers, especially the big tanker fleet
which carried oil supplies to the
various theatres of war.
During the war the Norwegian
merchant fleet sustained very
heavy losses both in vessels and
men. OF the fleet outside of about
1925, 900 gr. t. We're sunk, while
1872 vessels of $4,000 gr. t. oper-
ating within the Allied blockade
We're lost. In all, 49et of the fleet
per 1/9-1939 or 661 vessels of
about 1881 900 gr. t. were sunk
from 1/9-1939 to S/5-1945 with a
loss of 3400 Norwegian seamen.
During World War 1 nearly 500
of the fleet was sunk, although
Norway was then neutral.
The situation today. When the
war ended, the Norwegian merch-
ant fleet was reduced to 637 YES
sells of about 100000 gr. t. out
side OF Norway, as well as 3461
smaller vessels. totalling $4,000
gr t. in Norwegian waters. Most
of the ships needed extensive re-
pairs after the heavy war use
During the summer of 1915, 26
new buildings of about 100000 or.
I. were delivered to Norwegian
owners from Swedish yards. These
vessels were ordered long before
the war and partly finished dur
ing the war, but to avoid their
falling into the hands of the Ger
mans. they were only delivered
when Norway was liberated. Dur
ing the war Norwegian owners
had illegally placed a good many
contracts with Norwegian and
Swedish yards and just after the
liberation the Norwegian owners
continued placing orders for new
buildings, not only in Norway and
Sweden, but also in Denmark,
Great Britain, Holland. Belgium
and Italy. Up to l. January 194S,
a total of about 100000 or. t.
had been contracted at Norwegian
and foreign yards with deliveries
up to 1852. These contracts repre-
sent a value of about 26l5 million
n. kr. About half of the vessels
contracted are tankers. There is
also great number of modern
cargo liners. while the smaller
tramps are comparatively few.
Most of the vessels belonging to
the last group will be built in Nor
way. The ma jor part of the Nor
wegian contracts are placed in
Sweden, namely a total of about
$4,000 gr I. In Great Britain
there are placed contracts for
tonnage of about 600. 900 or. I.
Plans for the future. On l. jan
uary 1913. the Norwegian Merch-
ant fleet consisted of 1875 ocean /
going vessels Of about 1885, 900 or. /
I. Of which pa vessels Of about +
!. 5e4 900 or. I. were tankers. The /
average age of the fleet is about .
13 years and nearly 2/3 of the I
fleet were motorships. With the I
newbuildings now on order, Nor 1