Reconstruction of the Steamship Eric Nordevall II, which sank in Lake Vättern in the 1850s, is off the ground. Eric Nordevall was a first-generation paddle steamer, built in 1836 specifically to ply the Göta Canal. The ship made possible the first scheduled travel between Stockholm and Gothenburg.

 

Unfortunately, she sank, when she ran aground on rocks and took on too much water when the tug pulled her clear. She lies there to this day, 45 metres down in the Vättern. In 1980, sports divers looking for Eric Nordevall were rewarded for their efforts, when they discovered her almost intact – a
piece of well-preserved transport and manufacturing history from the dawn of the industrial age.

 

“This is a wonderful project to be involved in. It fits in well with ÅF’s history, as steam power came to Sweden over 100 years ago, following a similar timeline to our own,” comments Sven Hamrén, ÅF. Eric Nordevall II, as the replica ship will be called, is being built as close in design to the original as possible. A colossal SEK 70 million is expected to be put into the project, which is part funded by the EU. In close partnership with marine archaeologists and others, careful measurements have been taken, and designs drawn up, and now it’s full steam ahead at Forsvik Shipyard.