With the founding of the Norwegian - American Steamship Company the conditions became much better for Norwegian emigrants. The crew on board the ships spoke the same language as the passengers, and the food was traditional Norwegian. Also, the journey became quicker and easier. The company was also often referred to as "Det Norske Utvandrings-selskap" (The Norwegian Emigration Company) The first ship built or the service was launched in the spring of 1871, and was named "St. Olaf". This ship had a length of 300 feet x beam 35 feet and a depth of x 27 feet. Her burthen was 2500 ton deadweight. The engine could deliver 900 h.p., which gave the ship a speed of 10 knots. Steerage capacity was 500 passengers, and cabin capacity was 30 passengers. It had a crew of 51 persons. On June 6 the St. Olaf started on its first voyage with emigrants from Bergen to New York, where it arrived on June 23rd. with 493 passengers. The ship was fitted with large dormitories steerage, without any refectory or saloons. The food was boiled with steam, and brought in to the rooms in big tin pails. It is said that when the food was served it was complete chaos steerage.

In the spring of 1872, the line chartered the Steamer "Peter Jebsen" from Norwegian Lloyd. "Peter Jebsen" left for New York on the 3rd of. May as the first ship for the season. "St. Olaf" left for New York with 614 passengers, and 5000 tons of fish on 14th. June. On the 1st. of July the same year, the 2nd ship was launched from the dock at Blackhouse & Dixons in Middlesbrough. This ship was given the name "Harald Haarfager". It left from Bergen on the 10th of July for New York, and arrived there on July 25th. The same summer the company chartered another ship from Norwegian Lloyd, the "S/S Frithjof"

In 1873 the season started early, and "St. Olaf" left from Bergen on the 3rd of April for her first sailing with passengers for America that year. The line had now purchased their 3rd ship, the" S/S Haakon Adelsteen". She started her her maiden voyage in Christiania, then called at Christiansand and Bergen before crossing the Atlantic for New York. Later the same year the "S/S Kong Sverre" was launched. This ship was the largest ship in the fleet, her length was 321 feet x beam 37 feet and depth 27 feet. The Kong Sverre carry 700 steerage passengers, 40 2nd class passengers and 40 on 1st class. The company now maintained a route the New York from Christiania and Bergen, possibly calling at other ports on the way from Christiania to Bergen. The New York landing place was in Brooklyn. Their shipping agent there was Funch, Edye & Co. The ships carried different cargo back to Europe, and in the winter season they were refitted as cargo ships, and brought cargo from various places.

Newspaper announcement from "Correspondenten" 28.02.1873

Ship Index:

St. Olaf

The "St Olaf" was a 1,935 gross ton ship built in 1871 by Wigham Richardson & Co, Walker-on-Tyne (engines by North Eastern Marine Co, Sunderland). Her dimensions were - length 89,57m x beam 10,73m (293.9ft x 35.2ft). She had a straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 30-1st and 500-3rd class. Launched in April 1871, she left Bergen on her maiden voyage to New York on 7th July 1871, arriving on 23rd July. She started her last crossing on this service on 17th May 1875 and in 1880 she was sold. She was scrapped at Genoa in 1903. The St. Olaf was also seen refered to as the "Sanct Olaf" on the companies sailing lists. Note that there were also another ship by the name "St. Olaf" that was ivolved in the conveyance of Norwegian emigrants. That ship belonged to the "Det Søndenfjedsk Norske Dampskibsselsab" and sailed mainly between Christiania and Hamburg. Passengers going to Hamburg would usually proceed to New York on one of the Hamburg American Pacet Companie's (Hamburg-America Line) ships.

Peter Jebsen (Norske Lloyd)

The "Peter Jebsen" was built in 1872 by Backhouse & Dixon, Middlesborough (engines by Maudslay, Sons & Field, London). She was a 1,268 gross ton ship, length 70,70m x beam 9,23m (232ft x 30.3ft), straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. Launched on 10th February 1872, she sailed from Newcastle on 29th April 1872 on her maiden voyage to Bergen (dep 3rd May) and New York. On 6th November 1873, she left Bergen on her last voyage to New York and in 1881 she stranded, was refloated and was sold to British owners and renamed "Romanul". In 1898 she became the Italian "Nina" and in 1905 went to other Italian owners and was renamed "Lusitania". She put into Almeria on 20th October 1913 with her cargo on fire, was sold and scrapped at Genoa.

Harald Haarfager

The "Harald Haarfager" was built by Backhaus & Dixon, Middlesborough (engines by North Eastern Marine Co, Sunderland). This was a 2,084 gross ton ship, length 89,60m x beam 11,03m (294ft x 36.2ft), straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. Launched on 10th April 1872, she started her maiden voyage from Bergen to New York on 10th July 1872. Her last crossing from Havre to New York started on 4th July 1874 and on 14th October 1891 she was wrecked at Nettegrunden Uto in the Baltic Sea.

Frithjof (Norske Lloyd)

The "Frithjof" was built by Bergens Mekaniske Verksted, Bergen in 1872 for Det Norske Lloyd (P.Jebsen). She was a 932 gross ton vessel, length 58.02m x beam 8,93m (190.4ft x 29.3ft), one funnel, two masts, single screw, iron construction and a service speed of 10 knots. In 1874 she was chartered to the Norwegian American SS Co, and commenced her maiden voyage for them on 18th April 1873 when she left Bergen for New York. Her third and last crossing began on 19th August 1873 when she sailed from Havre for New York. She was scrapped in 1912.

Haakon Adelsteen

The "Hakon Adelsteen" was a 1,403 gross ton vessel, built by Backhouse & Dixon, Middlesborough (engines by North Eastern Marine Co, Sunderland). Her details were - length 76,19m x beam 9,81m (250ft x 32.2ft), straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. Launched on 15th February 1873, she sailed from Bergen on her maiden voyage to New York on 29th April 1873. On 30th May 1875, she commenced the last New York crossing of the company when she left Newcastle for Bergen (dep 6th June) and New York (arr 24th June). On 12th July 1895 she was wrecked on the Brazilian coast.

Kong Sverre

The "Kong Sverre" was built by Backhouse & Dixon, Middlesborough (engines by T.Richardson & Sons, Hartlepool) in 1873. She was a 2,386 gross ton ship, length 94,48m x beam 11,28m (310ft x 37ft), straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a service speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 35-1st, 40-2nd and 650-3rd class passengers. Launched on 29th March 1873, she sailed from Bergen on her maiden voyage to New York on 29th June 1873. She started her last crossing on this service on 26th July 1874 and on 16th October 1875 was wrecked near the entrance to Dunkirk harbour. Ship details: [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.777 - 778] subm. Ted Finch

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Passenger information: Arkivverket.