Port of Dreams

The photo exhibition Port of Dreams is Port of Oslo's contribution to Oslo's city jubilee in 2024.

Four hundred years ago, the medieval city of Oslo burned, and the new city of Christiania was built in Kvadraturen.

In 1924, the city regained its name, Oslo.

For centuries, the harbor has been a place where dreams could come true.

You can search for a dream in each image in this photo exhibition.

Everything begins with a dream.

A dream of cargo shipped from distant shores, exporting goods, and creating prosperity.

Setting sail to explore the world and finding shelter in a safe harbor.

The Dream of Prosperity

Renewing prosperity was the goal in the years following the two World Wars.

Photos from Oslo harbor in the 1940s, 1950s and 160s.

**A Safe Harbor:** An afternoon in July 1954. The boy in the boat is outside Skur 39 (Customs Warehouse) at Vippetangen. This was also home to the distribution center and warehouse for the shipping company Fred. Olsen & Co. In the background, outside Skur 38, you can see one of Fred. Olsen's passenger ships. It sailed year-round to Newcastle. The vessel could be MS “Braemar” or MS “Blenheim”. The cargo and passenger line between the capital and Great Britain began in 1880. Fred. Olsen & Co. took over the route in 1904 and operated it until the 1970s, except during the First and Second World Wars. Photo: Arbeiderbladet/Arbeiderbevegelsens arkiv og bibliotek.

**Way Up High:** Today, it's known as Aker Brygge, a popular area with restaurants. Previously, it was the shipyard Akers Mekaniske Verksted. The crane rides from 1950 would not have passed today’s safety requirements. Photo: Arbeiderbladet/Arbeiderbevegelsens arkiv og bibliotek.

**1949:** The Port in 1949. Photo: Arbeiderbladet/Arbeiderbevegelsens arkiv og bibliotek.

**Fish Frenzy:** In August 1946, the harbor was brimming with mackerel. The quays at Vippetangen in front of Skur 38 are a popular place to fish, and the mackerel still bite. Photo: Arbeiderbladet/Arbeiderbevegelsens arkiv og bibliotek.

**City Hall with a View:** He may be thinking, "One day, I can tell my children that Dad helped build City Hall." Oslo City Hall was built between 1931 and 1950, based on drawings by architects Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. The painter Edvard Munch decorated the building. In the background is Akers Mekaniske Verksted, where Aker Brygge is today. The picture is from April 1950. Photo: Arbeiderbladet/Arbeiderbevegelsens arkiv og bibliotek.

**A Dream Fulfilled:** It is unknown who's dream came true when this beautiful car was unloaded in Port of Oslo in 1957. The French Citroën Traction Avant was the latest model and arrived on a Fred. Olsen ship, which served harbors in France. In the 1950s, owning a car was considered a real achievement. Today, Oslo aims to limit the use of private vehicles. Photo: Arbeiderbladet/Arbeiderbevegelsens arkiv og bibliotek.

Gartnerløkka (paraphrase of a poem by Rudolf Nilsen)

He lay on all fours

face turned to the earth,

for there were plenty of weeds,

and the field so vast.

Toil, he must, labor hour after hour,

for his goal in life

is to buy himself a Ford.

The American Dream

Thousands of Norwegians emigrated to America, dreaming of prosperity. Many sent money and goods home. Thus, America fed the dream, even for those they left behind.

Port of Oslo's home is Skur 38, its eco-friendly headquarters, originally built as an office and warehouse for the Norwegian America Line.

Legendary ships from the Norwegian America Line, such as DS "Stavangerfjord", once docked here.

From the quay, families bid farewell to their loved ones; those who were fortunate enough sometimes experienced the joy of reunion.

To the right you see Skur 38 photographed in 1922 with the America boat DS "Stavangerfjord".

In the next image, MS "Oslofjord" awaits departure in 1939.

Photographs by Anders Beer Wilse/Oslo Museum.

**Emigration:** Almost a million Norwegians emigrated to North America. Over the years, a desire to establish a national shipping company with direct connections between Norway and America grew. The dream was realized in 1910 with the launch of the Norwegian America Line (NAL). One of the ships was known as the Queen of the Atlantic. DS “Stavangerfjord” was delivered in 1918 and served until 1964. Here, she was photographed outside Skur 38 in 1922. The America ships docked in Oslo/Christiania, Kristiansand, Stavanger, and Bergen. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse/Oslo Museum.

**Farewell:** MS “Oslofjord” departs in 1939. Many people waving goodbye in this picture likely lost contact with their loved ones over the following years. During World War 2, passenger service and mail across the Atlantic ceased. The ship was a year old and the first America ship with a swimming pool. The catastrophic events of 1940 were beyond the horizon. When war broke out, MS “Oslofjord” was in New York and was incorporated into the Nortraship fleet to transport troops. That same year, she hit a mine. She now lies at a depth of 12 meters at South Shields in England and is a popular destination for sports divers. Photo from Skur 44, where the Norwegian America Line relocated in 1924. The so-called America Shed was at Utstikker 1 beyond the silo but is now demolished. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse/Oslo Museum.

A Dream to Soar

«Way up high, here I sit,

loading goods for man and child.

I dream of being a pilot,

but it's not so bad

flying high here in a crane.»

**Crane operator for 30 years:** Ranmod Solland was a crane operator at the Port of Oslo for 30 years. He operated cranes outside the building that today houses Port of Oslo's administration. Photograph by Ranmod Solland.

The Dream of a New City

"Here shall the city lie," said King Christian IV in 1624. He named the city Christiania after himself. It was not until 1924 that the Norwegian parliament changed the city's name back to Oslo.

Feel free to visit Kvadraturen, which emerged as the new city behind Akershus Fortress.

A massive fire destroyed the medieval city of Oslo on the opposite side of the bay. Residents were not allowed to return and rebuild the wooden town. The future was to be built in brick.

New quays became vital for prosperity. In 1735, the Harbor Commission was established. Today, it's known as Oslo Havn KF, a municipal enterprise with its own board.

Most goods destined for the Oslo region and beyond come through the port.

**Christiania 1699:** Painting of Christiania seen from Ekeberg (1699) by Jacob Coning (National Museum).

Everything is Changing

Lars Finholth (b. 1966) has worked at Port of Oslo since 1988.

He photographs the port's ongoing development.

"We must preserve the past to create change.

We must understand history to shape modernity," says Lars.

"Above all, people are the future.

They are the ones who bring knowledge and understanding."

**Portrait of the photographer:** Lars Finholth at work in Skur 88 at Sjursøya. Photo: Hans Kristian Riise.

**Maintenance work in the port:** Pictured left: Test spraying a wall. Lacquering a cover for a water filler (2004). Top right: Cleaning a floating dock for the Bygdøy ferry in dry dock (2019). Bottom right: Tracklayers workbench (2006). Photos: Lars Finholth.

**Demolition:** Pictured left: Demolition and cleanup of Skur 72 at Grønlia. Top right: Conveyer belt sign at Skur 82, now slated for demolition (2014). Bottom right: A scene from the old garage during the demolition of Skur 58. Port customer Tineagent hosted a dignified farewell for the Skur with a photo exhibit, a wake, and a party (2011). Photo: Lars Finholth.

**History:** Pictured left: M/S "Sjøbad II" was one of the ferries that transported passengers from the Port of Oslo to the Hovedøya baths. The vessel began service as a bathing ferry in 1923 and is now slated for preservation. Photo shows ferry mooring lines on the roof (2006).

Top right: Today, Sukkerbiten juts into the port from the Opera with saunas, food stalls, and a photo exhibit. This small island was originally called Snelda. A small, white, square building resembling a sugar cube once stood here. The building housed the administration for Nyland Mekaniske Verksted. The Oslo Dockworkers Office later occupied the building. Photo: from 2009, the year before Sukkerbiten was demolished. Bottom right: Part of a railroad switch on the tracks at Sjursøya (2009). Photo: Lars Finholth.

**Winter Scene:** A ship photographed through the window of Skur 82. The shed has since been demolished (2014). Photo: Lars Finholth.

"I dream of ...."

City and port belong together.

Port of Oslo’s efforts to redevelop former port areas finance the development of a modern harbor. It also contributes significantly to urban development and housing in the city. The world's longest harbor promenade will be even longer.

The promenade is already a popular destination for citizens and visitors - in restaurants, parks, and access to swimming areas. Many visitors arrive by sea and walk across a gangway directly to the heart of a vibrant city.

The port receives a wide range of consumer goods destined for the Oslo region. Every container holds a multitude of dreams as it is lifted from ship to shore by cranes in Sydhavna.

We must protect the climate and environment to create a sustainable lifestyle. Maritime shipping helps support our collective climate ambitions. Ships carry larger volumes per trip than other means of transport. The seaway is the green way.

Port of Oslo invests in modern environmental technology to meet its climate goals. Our vision is "the world's most efficient and environmentally friendly port."

Photographs by Hans Kristian Riise, Marte Garmann and Geir Anders Rybakken Ørslien