SØRLANDET TRAINING SHIP

Sørlandet is the oldest of the three Norwegian Tall Ships and the oldest full rigged ship in the world still in operation. Sørlandet is a Norwegian heritage vessel and the world’s oldest fully rigged ship in operation. She was built in 1927 at Høivolds Mek shipyard in the city of Kristiansand on the south coast of Norway. “Sister” to Statsrad Lehmkuhl and Christian Radich, she is the oldest of three Norwegian tall ships, the “Great Trio of Norway.”

So, today on the afternoon we got a chance to have a tour to Sorlandet Training Ship that is anchored on Tanjung Perak Port Surabaya. Then, after the morning class some of us of the English Committee and the Regiment Staff of Surabaya Merchant Marine Polytechnic gathered in Pacific Hall and prepared ourselves to go to Tanjung Perak Port. After we were fully prepared we hop in to the Campus’ Bus and went to Tanjung Perak Port.

After 30 minutes of traveling, then we arrived to the Tanjung Perak Port. All of us jumped out from the bus and made a line for personnel checking. After the checking, all of us entered the port and sat on the waiting room. Then, after we waited for 15 minutes then we got permission to entering the docking area to see the ship. All of us were stood up and amazed when we saw the ship for the first time. It was like seeing a living legend in front of our eyes, is it a Viking ship travelled from the Norsk till here? It’s unbelievable to get a chance to see and get into this ship. Although the ship is looks so familiar as the Viking ship on the ancient times but it was actually operated as a Training Ship.

So, all of us got a permission to get into the ship. Then we met some of the crews of the ship and the Chief Officer guide us through the tour of the ship. He explained that the ship was traveling around the world with some of cadets from the organization of Sorlandet itself. At the first time this ship is owned by O.A.T. Skjelbred and the ship was damaged during World War II and served as an accommodation vessel for German submariners. She was restored and ready to sail in 1947. In 1958 she was equipped with an engine. In 1974 she was no longer used as a public training vessel and was sold to ship owner Staubo. She deteriorated considerably during that time. In 1977 ship owner Skjelbred returned her to the city of Kristiansand. In 1981 a foundation was established; “Stiftelsen Fullriggeren Sørlandet” has been the owner and operator of the vessel since. From 1980 to 1983 Sørlandet was the only operating Norwegian sail training ship, and the first open to men and women of all ages and nationalities.

So The Man said that they’ve been voyaging for 8 months from Norwegian until they reach Surabaya. And when we visited the ship the cadets of that ship were on a vacation to Jogjakarta. The member of the ship is 38 individuals both are the crews and cadets. And he explained that after Surabaya they will go to Singapore and continue the voyage for final stop in Hong Kong where the cadets will graduate there.

Almost every parts of this ship were hand-crafted and 90% of the parts of the ship were still the original parts from 1927. They just changed a little bit of the parts with the new one like the floor’s planks and the galley. The ship was also equipped with an engine and it could run the ship for 7.5 knots, with the sail the ship can move around 10 knots and the top speed is 14 knots. Because of this ship was still using the sail, so rather than facing the storm, this ship was design to go away from it. Even though they still sustain with the traditional style but this ship was equipped with all of the electronic navigational instruments that were qualified by the IMO.

Finally the best part of the interview was he told us that this ship is not ran by a company but it was ran by a family foundation, and this family foundation supports all of the supplies of the ship, and they also got some money from the government of Norwegian. He said that the main purpose of the ship nowadays was to train young people with the integrity with the old style of the Norsk and also to tell the world about the Norsk culture and heritage. And also to bring a different view of the sailing in nowadays, he also added with a “White Sailing”.

And then, after we finished with all the interviews, then we went out from the port and get in to the bus. After that we went back to Marine Merchant Polytechnic of Surabaya. Then after a long trip through the highway, we arrived to the campus ‘safe and sound’.

*editorial staff of English Committee of Surabaya Merchant Marine Polytechnic (Jey)