The Finnish cargo and passenger ship S/S Aranda photographed by Selim Björses in 1931. My colorization of the original photo which is in the Svenska Litteratursällskapet collection in Helsinki.
The building of the ship began in 1915 at the Ab Vulcan Varf in Turku. It was being built as a minesweeper for the Russian Imperial Navy. However, due to changed circumstances, the work was interrupted.
As there was to be no delivery to Russia, the shipyard opted to build the ship to a cargo and passenger vessel - named S/S Aranda - with a capacity to function in icy winter circumstances.
After a brief interlude with a private owner, the government of Finland bought the S/S Aranda in the summer of 1921 for the Turku - Åland islands route during the difficult winter season.
In the summer months the Aranda was used for cruises in the Finnish archipelago and also to some international destinations. In the summer of 1928 she took Finnish visitors to the Amsterdam Olympic games.
The winter of 1945 was to be the last for Aranda on the Turku - Åland islands route. In June the same year she had to be handed over to the Russians as a war reparation. The Russians renamed the ship Marshal Govorov.
