Kristiansand, a city of 85,000 people, is the principal port on the south coast of Norway. The Bredalsholmen Dokk Fartøyverbsenter (Bredalsholmen Dock Preservation Centre) on Andøya island is the national centre for the restoration of iron and steel ships which justify preservation. It is located in and around a dry dock built from 1873 and used from 1876 by the Cristiansand Dokcompagnie. Most of the surrounding buildings date from 1945-65, older structures having been destroyed by fire. Commercial use ceased in 1988. Some 25 workers are now employed in preserving ships, using traditional methods such as riveting. Amongst the ships that can be seen at the centre are the Hestmande, of 979 tons, which has a 550 hp triple expansion steam engine. It was built in 1911 by Laxevaag Maskin- og Jernskibsbyggen for Westeraalens Dampskibsselskap, and is the only survivor of that company’s ships. The Krysten, of 292 tons, was built at Trondheim in 1909 and sailed between Trondheim and Namsos.
The Bredalsholmen Dokk Fartøyverbsenter is one of three established in Norway by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage in 1984, the others being the Hardanger Fartøyvernsenter at Norheimsund and the Nordnorsk Fartøyvernsenter at Gratangen.
Bredalsholmen Dock Preservation Centre
Bredalsholmen Dokk Fartøyverbsenter
Andøyveien
4632 Kristiansand
Norway
+47 (0) 38 - 601050
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