Four heritage sailing ships participate in the 2020 Helsinki Baltic Herring Market

Albanus

The story of the galeas Albanus goes back to the formation of Merikortteli (“Sea Block”) as a centre of Mariehamn’s ship-building industry in 1904. This version of the Albanus was launched in 1988 and made its first voyage in 1989.

The Albanus sails under the flag of the Åland Islands and can accommodate 45 passengers. Its home port is Mariehamn. The galeas is owned and maintained by Skeppsföreningen Albanus rf.

Peders Äplagård and fishermen Björn Bergman and Alve Grönlund sell their produce from the Albanus at the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market. The deck of the sailing ship is not open to the public.

Olga

The Olga was originally built in 1885 and has sailed under the same name since then. This famous galeas has even spent some time on the bottom of the sea to avoid being requisitioned during the war. At the turn of the century, this traditional galeas was fully refitted and has since sailed on, for example charter cruises from its home port of Turku.

The Olga serves traditional salmon soup at the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market. The ship has a full liquor licence and is fully open to the public.

Vivan

The Vivan was built on the island of Emäsalo in Porvoo in 1947–49 and her current home port is Kotka. Ownership of the gales was acquired by the Vivan Association in 1975 with the purpose of promoting recreational sailing and protecting the maritime environment and marine archaeological finds. The vessel can accommodate an impressive 75 passengers.

Fisherwoman Pirkko Porkka sells her produce from the Vivan at the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market. The Vivan is also fully open to the public.

Valborg

This wooden galeas was built in Porvoo in 1948. Originally a cargo ship, the Valborg sailed its first voyage in its current capacity already in 1980. The Valborg was still a registered merchant vessel when it was registered in the Finnish Heritage Agency’s heritage ship register in 1994. The ship’s home port is the Halkolaituri dock in Helsinki.

The Valborg serves traditional salmon soup at the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market. The ship has a full liquor licence and is fully open to the public.

Access

Nearly all of the sailing ships are open to the public during the opening hours of the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market. The Albanus is reserved for accommodations and is not open to the public. Please comply with the instructions of the market organisers when visiting the ships.

Read more about the heritage ship register maintained by the Finnish Heritage Agency here.