Our Heritage

1911

Svenska Levantlinjen is founded by Dan Broström through Tirfin Rederi AB in August. The first voyage is conducted by the steamship M/S Upland from Gothenburg in early October with the destination the Mediterranean. The cargo included concrete and wood.

1920's

Soon after the First World War ended (during these years all shipping ceased) in 1921, MS Sulina (4,540 dwt), the first motor vessel came into service making transports up to three times faster. The liner name was changed to Svenska Orient Linien, 1927. 

1930's - 1940's

Fresh grapes in cold storage were shipped from the eastern Mediterranean to the UK and the Scandinavian countries for the first time in 1938. During the Second World War, traffic was reduced and ships were used for safe-conduct transports and Red Cross relief operations. After the war in 1948, SOL participated in launching fresh Jaffa oranges to the whole of Scandinavia.

1950's

During the first part of 1950's the fleet continued to modernize and extend. MS Vingaland with her four refrigerated cargo holds and MS Thuleland marked the introduction of a new series of vessels with additional ventilation in the cargo holds provided for northbound cargoes of citrus and agricultural products.  

1960's

In 1963, Maria Björnstam became Sweden's first woman to sign up as mate on MS Thebeland where she first started as a deckhand. A dramatic evacuation of the Swedish UN battalion in Gaza, in connection with the Seven Days War, took place in 1967. MS Timmerland and MS Thuleland were carrying both soldiers and luggage. Another extraordinary event was the transport of Thore Heyerdahl’s papyrus boat, Ra from Egypt to Marocco, in 1969.

1970's

In 1970, MS Trojaland became historic by being the first vessel to be right on schedule to the Northpole.

The shipping company Svenska Lloyd was integrated into the operations of SOL in 1973. 

To provide special door-to-door transport, TransProCon was established in 1978. The assignment that led to the formation was the delivery of a diesel power plant for Götaverken to Liberia. This was also the year when six special Japanese built RoRo vessels were put in traffic. 

1980's - 1990's

These were decades of entrepreneurial spirit with several mergers and acquisitions. To list a few: Transatlantic took over the entire line operations from Broström (1984). 

In 1988, the entire Transatlantic Group including SOL, was acquired by Bilspedition.

In 1993 Svenska Orient Linien was acquired by Bylock & Nordsjöfrakt and was listed on the Swedish stock market (1997). Meawhile, TransProCon carries out the first defense logistics assignment for the Swedish Armed Forces. 

2000's - 2010's

In 2000 the liner operator SolNiver was formed together with Scan Orient Shipping. Hans Shipping, with liner traffic to China and elsewhere, is integrated in 2005.

Imperial Shipping Ltd became the sole owner of Svenska Orient Linen in 2006 and SOL was delisted from the stock market. 
The subsidiary Imperial Shipmanagement started and took over ship management handling 10 of the Group’s ships.

In 2008 SOL Forwarding Service was established and acquired Sky Transport. In this period, SOL develops its services to the forest industry through three new subsidiaries; SOL North Europe Services which is overseeing ship operation, SECU-tracking, and the financial reporting of the system for larger forest product companies. And SOL Continent Line with RoRo liner traffic between Trelleborg and Travemunde. Finally, SOL Continent Line develops and open several RoRo routes between Sweden, Finand, Germany, Benelux and the UK. 

2010's - 2020's

Later, in 2012, Sky Transports merged with Scandinavian Logistics Partner (Scanlog). 2017 is a marked year, JA Kjellberg och Söner, owned by Mr. Michael Kjellberg, became sole owner of SOL. 

In 2019, SOL and Wallenius formed a joint venture shipping company: WALLENIUS SOL, to strengthen the infrastructure at the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea. The RoRo business of SOL was transferred into WALLENIUS SOL operating scheduled containers and RoRo liner services from the Gulf of Bothnia to and from Europe/UK. 

TransProCon forms a long-term charter for MW New Amsterdam contract with Dutch MOD in 2022.