M/S “Hamen” was built as “Pompey Power” in 1948/49 by Samuel Peter Austin & Son in Sunderland, UK. She and her sistership “Pompey Light” were ordered by the Portsmouth city council.
Pompey Power and Pompey Light were so-called “colliers”, carrying coal from the mines in the north to the coal-fired power station in Portsmouth. They were equipped with a quadruple steam engine, electric winches and were the first ships in the world with fluorescent lighting. The crew numbered 23, 3 officers and a steward in the midship house, 3 engineers in the boat deck house, the rest of them in cabins under the boat deck.
In 1960, a new oil-fired power station was built, and the collier-era came to an end.
Pompey Power became the Norwegian “Tandik”, owned by Tandberg & Moinichen in Drammen. Tandik went into Northsea and European trade, but it soon showed difficult to operate a steam driven vessel.
In 1962, she was sold to Hans Utkilen in Bergen, renamed “Hamen”, modernized and fitted with a Wichman 9-cylinder diesel. This modern diesel engine is the main reason for Hamen's success until 1986, when it was the oldest ship in service in the Norwegian fleet operating in European waters. Hamen was laid up 1986, sold to Sweden in 1993, and to the Hamen foundation” in 2005. In 2012, it was docked, checked and repaired at a Hirtshals yard in Denmark.
Since 2013, it is laid up at Tofte Strand in the Oslofiord. Where preservation and repair continues mostly by volunteers.
In 2016, Hamen was towed to Los Marine as at Rubbestadneset for further repair.
The ship has been docked, underwater hull repaired, and restoration continues.
Currently docked at Bredalsholmen Shipyard and Preservation Centre in Kristiansand.
Museum info: MV Hamen
