“Seattle”:
The yacht-like cargo liner

	ILLUSTRATION: HÅKAN SJÖSTRÖM

The Scandinavian liner shipping represents one of the finest chapters in the modern shipping history. Not only were the ships built to high standards of speed and service, but they were operated by largely national crews to equally high standards in terms of seamanship and cargo care. The services were backed by shore-captains and agents, and the ships handled by designated terminals.

Amongst the oldest and best-known services from Scandinavian was Johnson Line in Stockholm. The company could trace its roots back to 1885 when Axel Johnson purchased his first steamer for the coal import from the UK, and in 1904 he was one of the pioneers in overseas shipping services from our region when he launched the Scandinavia-La Plata line. Just before the outbreak of WWI, Johnson branched out with new services to the North Pacific and the South Pacific ports.
Towards the end of the Second World War the company ordered the first of a new class, a 9,000 DWT cargo liner for the North Pacific service, capable of 19.5 knots service speed. The first six were built by Kockums Mek Verkstad in Malmö, and the lead ship was delivered in November 1947 named “Seattle”.

A radically modern design
The new Johnson liner introduced a radically modern design with streamlined superstructure and funnel, raked bows and a slender hull shape. Two tall masts without derricks contributed to an unsual clean and yacht-line appearance. For cargo handling ten 3-ton ASEA electric cranes were provided for the seven hatches, including a sizeable refrigerated space. Two Kockum-built MAN diesels of 14,000 bhp with twin propellers gave a top speed well in excess of 20 knots. Compared to the earlier Johnson vessels, “Seattle” introduced an entirely new image.
The lead ship was followed by five sisters from Kockums and two from Howaldtswerke in Kiel, all with names from the North American West Coast: “Golden Gate”, “Los Angeles”, “Lions Gate”, “Silver Gate”, “Portland”, “California” and “Canada”. Modernized in the 1960s, they were converted to burn heavy fuel and with MacGregor steel taches. Their life span was, however, cut short by the introduction of containers around 1970 which lead to the withdrawal within a few years. “Seattle” was sold in 1972 for USD 300,000 and broken up the following year.
“Seattle” and her sisters are reminders of a time when shipping and liner shipping in particular were held in high esteem and when ships were designed to inspire pride, loyalty and motivation amongst the people who sailed them.

//Dag Bakka Jr

Back to SSG 12, 13 June