Once again an East Indiaman set sails towards Amsterdam
At 9.30 PM this evening at the 14th of August the Swedish Ship Götheborg, the world's largest sailing historic wooden ship, set sails towards Amsterdam. The Ship is a replica of the East Indiaman that went aground and sank outside Gothenburg's harbour entrance in 1745. The Swedish Ship Götheborg will arrive to Amsterdam on Thursday the 19th of August and will be one of the first ships in the impressive traditional Sail-In parade from Ijmuiden to Amsterdam.
The Swedish Ship Götheborg will reach Amsterdam on Thursday after five days at sea and will be docking at the impressive ING Pirate Island.
"The Swedish Ship Götheborg has visited many countries all over the world but this will be the first time in the Netherlands and it will be exiting to participate in magnificent event," says Rikard Thornander, CEO of the Swedish East India Company.
The Swedish Ship Götheborg is an exact replica of the sailing ship from the 18th century, which was part of the merchant fleet in the Swedish East India Company. In 1745 the original ship ran aground only a few hundred meters from it’s home port Gothenburg. A marine archeological investigation was conducted at the wreck site during the 1980s, and in connection with the excavation, the idea was born to rebuild the East Indiaman using ancient handicraft methods and once again sail to China.
It took over 10 years to build the ship at a cost of 40 million Euros, and the construction was followed closely by the ship's chief patron H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf and godmother H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden. In 2005 the Swedish Ship Götheborg left Gothenburg and for 20 months during 2005 and 2007, the ship sailed the historic route to China and back. Since then she has been sailing around the world seas as a promotion platform for Sweden and Swedish Industry. Earlier this summer, at the celebrations of the Swedish royal wedding The Swedish Ship Götheborg hosted the first official wedding dinner for the royal family.
For additional information about the ship:
Linda Joneland, phone +46 (0)31 701 33 34, e-mail: linda.joneland@perspective.se
For press photos visit: www.soic.se/presspictures
www.soic.se
The project for the East Indiaman Götheborg is being conducted by the Svenska Ostindiska Companiet (Swedish East India Company), which in turn is owned by a non-profit foundation. The ship is a copy of the East Indiaman that went aground and sank at Hunnebådan outside Gothenburgs harbour entrance in 1745. A marine archaeology excavation of the original ship was started in 1986 and construction began in 1995. The Götheborg was launched eight years later, and for 20 months during 2005 and 2007, the ship sailed the historic route to China and back. Since then, the ship has been on a number of smaller expeditions in Sweden and other Nordic countries. Participation in the festivities surrounding the wedding of the Crown Princess Victoria is included in planning for the summer of 2010
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