The steamship "Thorolf" has lived a long and eventful life, serving in roles as a service vessel for O. A. Devolds Sønner, and later as a cable vessel during the Second World War. Recently, the ship was upgraded with pipes from Hydroniq Coolers. These pipes will cool the steam by using seawater to extract condensate and return it to the boiler.
“We supply cooling technology to a variety of vessel types and industries, but this is the first time we have provided equipment to a steamship,” says Lars Elling Gloppholm, aftermarket sales manager at Hydroniq Coolers, based in Ellingsøy near Ålesund.
The steamship "Thorolf" is Scandinavia's oldest wooden steamship still in use. Built between 1910 and 1911, it still operates with its original steam engine which was produced by Brunholmen Mechanical Workshop.
In its first 50 years, the ship was utilised by the textile company O. A. Devolds Sønner A/S in Langevåg to transport salesmen, sample items, raw materials, and finished products along the Norwegian coast, from north to south in Norway.
In the late 1960s, the ship was wrecked. After repairs, it was used as a leisure boat before being laid up and falling into disrepair around 1980. In 1988, the Friends of D/S Thorolf took responsibility for the vessel and returned her to water by the summer of 1991. In 1997, the hull was completely restored and has been well-maintained since. The ship is now protected by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage.
Such an old steamship requires regular upgrades, and Hydroniq Coolers has donated pipes worth tens of thousands of NOK to ensure that the ship's steam engine can be cooled with seawater. The new cooling pipes had to be secured with wooden pegs, instead of shaping them with tubing roller which is the common method used on board modern ships.
“Hydroniq Coolers has been fantastic to work with. To keep a treasure like D/S Thorolf operational, we rely on support from the private sector and we greatly appreciate when they choose to apply their expertise and resources to help us,” says Frode Nordstrand from the foundation Friends of D/S Thorolf.
“We support the maritime industry in Sunnmøre and the rest of Norway. That is why we were happy to assist the enthusiasts who ensure that D/S Thorolf continues to give both residents and tourists in our region memorable experiences,” adds Lars Elling Gloppholm.
