GOTA CANAL STEAMSHIP COMPANY 125 YEARS OLD

GÖTA CANAL STEAMSHIP COMPANY 125 YEARS OLD

The idea of building a canal through Sweden from Lake Vänern to the Baltic has very early origins. Many serious proposals for the construction of a canal were presented as early as in the beginning of the 16th century. But it was finally the determination of Baltzar von Platen in the beginning of the 19th century that made the canal a reality. Work got under way in 1810 and by 1832 it was possible to travel by way of the canal all the way from Göteborg to Stockholm.
The canal, often called Sweden's "blue ribbon" flourished during the first few years but in 1862 when the main railway line across Sweden was opened, many shipowners began to sell their vessels. The canal had, however, one strong believer. He was Captain Erik Thorsell who in 1869
founded the Ångfartygsbolaget Motala Ström, a canal shipping company with its head office in Motala.

Operations started with the steamer "Motalastr6m". In addition to deck passengers she took 20 passengers in first class, 16 in second class and 12 in third class. The canal traffic thrived and in 1872 two new ships were ordered - Venus delivered in 1873 and Juno in 1874.

As early as in 1878 the Göta Canal Steamship took the decision to become the first company to attract tourists to Sweden on its own initiative.

The following decade was highly successful. The company now had eleven vessels in operation, including cargo and passenger steamers and cargo boats.

During this century the steamship company has had many ups and downs. During the period 1947-1956, the company was run by several different owners with varying success. After a bankruptcy was unavoidable in 1957, a re-structuring took and the three remaining vessels, "Juno", "Wilhelm Tham" and "Diana" were refurbished and passengers began to flock to the canal again.

The steamers were successively modernized and converted. The 80s was another turbulent decade for the Göta Canal ships. Passenger numbers declined and the viability of the canal itself was put into question.

Now on its 125th birthday the Göta Canal Steamship company is looking at the future with optimism. It knows that it can offer tourists from all over the world a totally unique experience. In its heydays the steamers provided the fastest means of transport between Göteborg and Stockholm. Today the narrow enchanting waterway that is the Göta Canal probably provides the slowest way to travel, but it is without doubt the most fulfilling way to see a cross-section of Sweden.

The "Wilhelm Tham", "Juno" and "Diana" carry Ø passengers and the steam engines have been replaced by more efficient diesel power. At a comfortable five knots, the ships plough through the waters of a network of rivers, lakes and man-made canals "climbing" up and down by way of locks.