D/S FORLANDET–whaling catcher and tug.
The tug boat FORLANDET was for many years a klenodium for A/S Framnæs mek Værksted. She was in service as tug boat and work boat for many years at the yard, a vessel all in the shipyard and outside did know and had a little feeling for. Many visitors visited the engine room and had a look at the steam engine with a tear in their eyes.
The ship was built as FOCA by Bokerøens Verft (Bokerøens Skibsbyggeri) in Svelvik in 1921 for the well known whaling company Compania Argentina de Pesca i Buenos Aires., who drifted the whakling station Grytvika. The builder yard had difficulties, but managed to tow FOCA to the Bergens mek. Verksted for installation of boiler and the 650 IHK Triple exp. 3 cyl. steam engine. The day the ship did her test trail, the Bokerøens Verft (Bokerøens Skibsbyggeri) had to close the gates for never to open again.
FOCA did whaling from Grytvika for many years, but was sold to a new established company whaling in the Artic Ocean. The ship was named FORLANDET, assumed a name from Prins Karls Forland on Svalbard , an area she should serve as a catcher. It did'nt og that way so she went in lay-up mode for many of years, before FMV came over it and purchased the well built ship. She was converted to a tug boat and did this service for the yard until she was sold as a veteran ship in 1983 at a total sum of two 50-ear coins from 1921 – from same year as the ship was built. The ship can now be seen in Oslo. From www.lardex.net