Stie’s on the ferry: how it all started

A new ferry line Oslo – Kiel started at May 1961. The line was operated by a new car ferry with the name Kronprins Harald. She was a small ferry boat compare with the car ferry to day. But she was a luxurious ship, mainly built for small passenger cars.

This new ferry line was very interesting for Stie, as it would mean a 24 hour sail to Kiel instead of driving 800 km through Sweden and Denmark .There was no other car ferry line out of Norway at that time except a car ferry from Larvik to Denmark .

In the year 1962 Stie started up with the first transport of frozen fish to the European continent. And that was the first sailing with “Kronprins Harald” to Kiel .

The ferryboat was not really built for carrying trucks. She had two car port on each side of the ship, and they had to use a trac tor to get the trailer on board.

The truck, “Betsy”, had a hight of 3,20 meter . So on board they had to take down the plates at the ceiling in the car deck to get room for the truck.

I understand it was a big surprise for the captain first time I came driving to the ferry boat and had booked room for the truck on board. I heard the captain say: What? That big truck on board in my ship?

Very soon Stie was one of the greatest customers to the ferry line.

In the following years the captain saw the blue and white trucks on almost every sailing.. The captain and the crew welcomed Stie’s drivers to come on board. Stie’s drivers were always clean and well dressed. We always had suit or blazer and a tie in the truck to use on board. “Kronprins Harald” was a luxurious ship with first and second class.

1962. Oslo Kai in Kiel.

One single Stie truck ready to drive on board of “Kronprins Harald”.

M/S Prinsesse Ragnhild

The next year, in 1966, a new ship with the name “Prinsesse Ragnhild” was set in as a supplement to “Kronprins Harald”. Then there was ferry departure every day.

1982, 20 years later. We make warm breakfast in France on the way to Spain. Drivers: Terje Vadset, Bjørn Hansen and Evert Høglund on the way to Spain loading tomatoes.