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POMMERN-A FOUR MASTED STEEL BARQUE - 1903

POMMERN-A FOUR MASTED STEEL BARQUE - 1903

By AI ChatGOT4-T.Chr.-Human Synthesis-22 January 2026

Pommern is a four-masted steel barque — a large sailing cargo ship — built in 1903. She’s now preserved as a museum ship in Mariehamn, Åland Islands (Finland).

History

  • Original Name: Mneme (1903–1908).
  • Renamed: Pommern (from 1908). The name is German for “Pomerania.”
  • Built: 1903 by J. Reid & Co shipyard in Glasgow, Scotland.
  • Early Ownership: Launched for German owners (F. Laeisz) and became part of the famous Flying P-Liners — a well-regarded fleet of fast sailing ships.
  • After WWI: She was handed over to Greece as part of war reparations.
  • 1923 Onward: Bought by Finnish shipowner Gustaf Erikson of Mariehamn, Åland, and used mainly in the grain trade from Australia to Europe.
  • Final Commercial Voyage: 1939, before WWII.
  • Museum Ship: Donated to the town of Mariehamn after WWII and has been preserved for public visits since the early 1950s.

Pommern earned a reputation as a “lucky ship”, surviving both world wars without major harm and losing very few crew at sea. She also won the Great Grain Races in 1930 and 1937 — informal competitions between sailing ships carrying grain from Australia to Europe.

Technical Specifications

  • Type: Four-masted barque (a sailing vessel with square sails on all but the aft mast).
  • Construction: Riveted steel hull.
  • Length: ~95 m (312 ft).
  • Beam (width): ~13 m (43 ft).
  • Draft (depth below water): ~7.5 m (25 ft).
  • Gross Register Tonnage: ~2,376 GRT.
  • Cargo Capacity: ~4,050 t.
  • Crew: Typically around 26.
  • Rigging: So-called “bald-headed barque” — meaning she doesn’t carry the very topmost sails (“royals”), and her topsails/topgallants are split into upper and lower sections to make them easier for the crew to handle.

Sail Area: ~3,240 m² (total).

Service & Voyages

During her working life, Pommern carried a variety of cargoes, including:

  • Grain from Australia to Europe, especially England and Ireland.
  • Timber from Scandinavia.
  • Saltpetre (nitrate) from Chile.

She participated in long, challenging ocean voyages and was part of the grain trade well into the 1930s.

Today as a Museum Ship

Pommern is permanently moored next to the Åland Maritime Museum in Mariehamn’s western harbour. Visitors can go aboard in the warmer months (May–September) and explore multiple decks, including:

  • Weather deck,
  • Cargo holds,
  • Crew quarters,
  • Exhibitions on life at sea.

An exhibition called “Pommern – 100 days under sail” recreates the experience of a long voyage, with audio guides and displays bringing the ship’s history to life.