Norwegian America Line

Norwegian American Line
Industry Cargo and passenger shipping
Fate Defunct
Founded 1910
Defunct 1995
Headquarters Oslo
Key people
 Gustav Henriksen
Subsidiaries Norwegian East Africa Line

The Norwegian America Line (Norwegian: Den Norske Amerikalinje), was a cruise ship line, originally an operator of passenger and cargo ships. Founded in 1910, the company ran a regular transatlantic service between Norway and the United States, and later included a route to East Africa as well. Primarily due to competition from air travel, transatlantic passenger voyages were slowly discontinued during the years.

After the Great War, the company used to be one of Norway’s largest shipping lines, owning a fleet that included 19 vessels, of which several for commercial cargo transport. After the Second World War heavy ships losses were overcome by the building of new vessels, however the reduction in the passengers’ traffic by sea, shifted the company’s focus mainly to the cargo business, including container and bulk shipping from the 1970’s.

In 1980 the last two cruise ships were handed over into a new joint venture company (Norwegian American Cruises) with Leif Höegh & Co, and finally sold to Cunard Line in 1984.

During the 1990’s NAL main business were the Roll-on/roll-off operations and sea carriage of cars, through the NOSAC brand (Norwegian Specialised Autocarcarriers), with a fleet of nearly 20 vessels, then acquired by Wilh. Wilhelmsen in 1995.[1]

Ships

List sourced from[2][3]

Passenger ships

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Ship Built In service for NAL Type Tonnage Notes
SS Kristianiafjord 1913 1913–17 ocean liner 10,699 GRT Sunk 1917.
SS Bergensfjord 1913 1913–40 ocean liner 10,666 GRT Taken over by British authorities and converted to a troopship, 1940.
SS Stavangerfjord 1917 1917–40
1945–64 		ocean liner 12,977 GRT Taken over by German authorities as a troopship in 1940, returned to NAL in 1945. Scrapped 1964.
MS Oslofjord (1938) 1938 1938–40 ocean liner 18,673 GRT Sunk after hitting a mine on the River Tyne, 1940.
MS Oslofjord (1949) 1949 1949–67 ocean liner 16,844 GRT Chartered to Greek Line 1967. Caught fire and sank 1970.
MS Bergensfjord 1956 1956–71 ocean liner 18,739 GRT Sold to French Line as De Grasse, 1971.
MS Sagafjord 1965 1965–83 ocean liner / cruise ship 24,002 GRT Sold to Cunard Line 1983. Sold to Saga Cruises 1997 and renamed Saga Rose. Scrapped 2009.
MS Vistafjord 1973 1973–83 cruise ship 24,292 GRT Sold to Cunard Line 1983. Since 2004 Saga Ruby for Saga.

Other ships

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Ship Built In service for NAL Type Tonnage Notes
SS Norefjord 1919 1921–49 cargo ship 3,082 GRT Ran aground, captured and beached by rebels, shelled by the Indonesian Navy and burnt out 1958. Scrapped 1966.
SS Mari
SS Oslofjord 		1923 1923
1923–30 		215 GRT

Managing directors

Chairmen of the Board

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.benjidog.co.uk/allen/Norway%20America%20Line.html
  2. ↑ Asklander, Micke. "Norska Amerikalinje A/S". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2012-07-29. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  3. ↑ "Norwegian-America Line". The Ships List. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
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