Revised 29 August 2000 (improved photo)
TEES-SHIPS |
A FAVOURITE SHIP
SVERKER
One of the things I do when I see a ship is to try and make a guesstimate of their gross tonnage and date of build. On 4 July 1967 ships were to be found double-banked in Hull Docks (Alexandra Dock in this instance). I felt quite justified in noting the Swedish-flag SVERKER, 826 gross tons, as a coaster of 1950s vintage.
Almost certainly her forepart dates only from 1958 when she was lengthened, but perhaps the stern profile in the broadside view should have alerted me to the fact her origins were much older. Actually 60 years before my sighting, having been completed at Gothenburg in 1907 as the STEGEBORG. She carried just this one name until 1948 upon becoming the SVERKER.
From 1975 she was to carry her third name, SOFOULA, under the Greek flag until broken up in 1980; 73 years of age.